Autumn is officially here, which means I’m back to making some of my favorite cold-weather recipes (even though it’s 90° outside). And if you’ve followed my work for any length of time, you know that I’m particularly interested in the relationship between metabolic health and mental health.
One of my favorite things about this time of year is getting back into the kitchen and making the kind of meals that simmer on the stove all afternoon. This Tuscan beef and bone broth soup is exactly that. It’s hearty, full of flavor, and packed with ingredients that offer some pretty impressive nutritional benefits.
I think we often underestimate just how much our nutritional health contributes to our psychological functioning. We spend a tremendous amount of time discussing stress, anxiety, emotional regulation, and mood without always considering whether we’re adequately supporting the physiological systems responsible for those functions.
So, in addition to sharing the recipe, I wanted to break down a few of the ingredients and why I think they’re worth including in our diets.
What’s So Great About These Ingredients?
Grass-Finished Beef & Beef Liver
Beef is an excellent source of complete protein, vitamin B12, zinc, and highly bioavailable heme iron. These nutrients are important for neurological function, energy metabolism, and the production of neurotransmitters.
I also include the option of adding a small amount of beef liver. Liver is exceptionally rich in B12, iron, copper, and preformed vitamin A. It’s one of the more nutrient-dense foods you can eat, although it’s worth being mindful of portions because of its concentrated vitamin A content.
Collagen Beef Bone Broth
Instead of using conventional stock, this recipe calls for collagen-rich beef bone broth. It contributes flavor, body, and collagen-derived amino acids, including glycine and proline.
Glycine is particularly interesting because it also functions as a neurotransmitter and participates in several important metabolic processes. That doesn’t mean drinking bone broth directly treats anxiety or improves sleep, but it’s a good example of how the nutrients we consume participate in processes extending well beyond digestion.
Cannellini Beans, Kale & Vegetables
This is where we get into fiber, folate, potassium, and a variety of other micronutrients.
Fiber supports digestive health and provides fuel for beneficial gut bacteria. The relationship between the gut microbiome and the brain is an increasingly interesting area of nutritional psychiatry, particularly when it comes to inflammation, metabolism, and mood.
And with leeks, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, beans, and kale, this soup offers a substantial variety of plant foods alongside its animal proteins.
The Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 lbs grass-finished 90/10 ground beef
- ¼ lb grass-fed beef liver (optional)
- 32 oz collagen beef bone broth (recipe on the blog)
- 3 leeks, thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 (32 oz) can organic diced tomatoes
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 head kale, chopped
- 3–4 carrots, chopped
- 3–4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pesto or chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. Remove and set aside.
- Add the butter, garlic, onion, and sliced leeks to the pot. Sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent.
- Pour in the bone broth, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to release the browned bits.
- Return the meat to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Add the Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, beans, tomatoes, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring everything back to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over very low heat for at least one hour. You can let it cook longer if you’d like.
- Remove the thyme sprigs after the first hour.
- Approximately 30 minutes before serving, stir in the chopped kale. Cover and allow it to soften in the broth.
- Serve hot with a little pesto or freshly chopped parsley.
If including beef liver, finely chop or grind it and brown it thoroughly with the other meats.
A Note on Comfort Food
Beyond the nutritional benefits, I also think there’s something to be said for the way we approach food.
I love the rituals that come with autumn: cooking more substantial meals, having people over, and finding reasons to spend a little more time at home. These are things I genuinely look forward to.
And there’s an interesting psychological component to that. Familiar meals and seasonal routines can carry associations with comfort, memory, and predictability. They’re also opportunities to create experiences we enjoy and anticipate.
I don’t think we need to separate those pleasures from conversations about health.
Good nutrition isn’t just about hitting certain macronutrient targets or eliminating foods. It’s also about building sustainable habits, enjoying what we eat, and understanding how our dietary patterns support our bodies over time.