Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

Today is kind of a lame day. It's Wednesday, for one (right smack dab in the middle of the week with no real purpose, IMO). It's the day after Halloween and I ate too much candy, have too much candy left, so will continue to eat too much candy in the coming days. And my parents just left! So sad. My mom was in town helping/visiting for a few days (I say helping because that's really what she does - she is so so so helpful and really so remarkably gifted with kids), and my dad surprised me by flying in on Monday in one of the cutest and most touching moves I've experienced in a long time. I came home from a facial (where - side note - a "light/natural" peel removed about 70% of the skin on my cheek) - and my dad was playing with the boys in the back yard. It was so sweet and so appreciated - and much needed. I got a break from diapers, baths, and twins for 5 wholes days. But now it's over and now I'm sad about it. Anyway.
I honestly never thought my life would come down to putting kale in my soup. I resisted the crunchy/somewhat bitter vegetable for years, slowly welcoming it into my salads with the perfectly sweet dressing combination. But here we are, in 2017, and I'm putting it in my soup. Have I become a complete caricature of myself?
I mulled this over, and decided the answer is no. I've always liked eating healthy, and I 157% promise you that the kale in this soup ADDS to the flavor and is not just thrown in there for all the good stuff that it offers and so that I can say "I put kale in my soup". It's cooked down but still offers a nice texture combination with the sausage and sweet potato, and the kale-flavor is a perfect contrast with the sweet sausage and sweet potato. Plus, it's pretty! Honestly this soup is so flavorful, hearty, healthy, delicious, comforting...all the good things. You can trust me on this one...at least until I start putting kale in my smoothies. Then I would take me with a grain of salt.
Recipe (4)

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, or 1 teaspoon minced from jar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 5-6 cup full sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 to 1 bunch kale, chopped

Start by browning the sausage over medium heat. Drain a little fat if you want (mine was pretty lean so I didn't have to). Add in the onion, celery, garlic, and S&P to cook, about 5 minutes. If sausage is super lean, add a little olive oil.  Deglaze the pan with white wine and let cook down a minute or two. Stir in the chopped sweet potato, then add the chicken broth. I use full sodium when making soups, because soup should be salty and I don't like salting it on my own because then I always over salt. But obviously if you have an aversion to salty food, you can use reduced sodium broth. Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add in the chopped kale (I didn't use quite the whole bunch), cover and simmer until wilted - about 10-15 minutes. Voila! Easy, healthy, flavorful Fall soup.