Italian Sausage, Sweet Peppers and Onion Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound bulk hot or sweet Italian turkey sausage

4 cloves garlic, peeled, trimmed and pressed through a garlic press

3-4 Anaheim peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

2 medium-large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cups lower-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) or 1 can (28 ounces) crushed or diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves (Italian flat-leaf preferred)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Place a 4- to 6-quart saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until it looses its pink color. Add garlic, peppers and onions, and cook until softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar and stir up the brown bits on the pan's bottom.

Stir in broth and tomatoes; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, and then stir in parsley and basil. Serve immediately and top with 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese.

Serves four.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving with 1 tablespoon cheese: 326 calories (29.4 percent from fat), 10.4 g fat (3.4 g saturated), 19.6 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, 36 g protein, 105 mg cholesterol, 1,539 mg sodium

SaltSense: The sausage is the primary source of sodium, followed by canned tomatoes and broth. To reduce the sodium, substitute no-salt-added diced tomatoes and no-salt-added chicken broth to bring the sodium per serving to 795 mg per serving.