This delicious, spicy soup is adapted from a recipe that has been made for decades in my family. I've never found it anywhere else, so I'm pretty sure my grandmother concocted it when she was doing Atkins in the 70s. She used to call it "Pigs In A Blanket," but for so many other people that means a hot dog wrapped in a doughy covering. So, I've changed the name, although in my family it is usually simply referred to as "Pigs."

It is a hearty low carb soup, very filling, and extremely quick and easy. You don't like things too spicy or hot? That's okay, this recipe can be altered without losing any of its goodness by just substituting mild sausage for the hot sausage. I hope you love this as much as we do!

Spicy Pigs and Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs. spicy bulk sausage
1 small head of cabbage
1 small 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/4 C vinegar
1/4 C sweetener that measures cup for cup with sugar
2 C water, plus water to cover sausage when cooking
1 T minced garlic
1 T Hungarian paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roll sausage into balls, just slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball. Place in bottom of soup pot.
2. Cover sausage with water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.
4. Add cabbage, separating the chunks as you go, that has been cut into pieces just a bit larger than bite size.
5. Add tomato paste, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, vinegar and 2 cups of water. Stir well to combine.
6. Bring to a boil once again.
7. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 45 minutes, or until cabbage is soft, stirring occasionally.
8. Add sweetener and stir.

Serve in a deep bowl, and enjoy!