My friend, Amy, got this recipe from her friend, Linde. It’s easy, super-fast and delicious. I made a sextuple batch for my Good Samaritan Clinic Staff Christmas party and served it in a huge, electric roaster and it was a huge hit. We added a few cans of cannellini beans to stretch it a bit further too.

I wait to season the soup til the end because the salt and spices from the sausage take a little time to release and it’s easy to get it too salty.

Cook time: about 15min. Serves 4-6

1lb. bulk spicy italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch swiss or rainbow chard, washed well and chopped
1 box low sodium chicken broth
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved (not the marinated kind)

In a large stock pot, brown the sausage with the onion and drain the fat from the pan. Add the chicken broth, 2 cups water, and chard. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the chard is soft (this is where you can add a can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed). Season with salt and pepper and serve! The soup is even better the next day.

There’s this great organization called TWLOHA and it stands for: To Write Love On Her Arms. I love that thought, writing in red sharpie on someone’s arm how much they are loved and cherished. Sharpie so it takes a long time to fade, so they can have a daily reminder.

TWLOHA is dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. And I LOVE their vision.

They believe that we are created to love and be loved.

I was reading this on a recent blog post of theirs and it struck me so deeply:

Because this life is worth living. Because you are loved and made to be loved and made to give love and to experience a thousand wonderful things.

I think that does it for me. That sums up the meaning of life in one sentence. We were made to love and be loved.

What a privilege.