Soup, Glorious Soup

Not much will warm you up quicker and better than a steaming bowl of soup.  That's not all...soup is the perfect vehicle for veggies.  And lots of them!  One of the fantastic things about veggie soups is that since the veggies cook in the broth, any nutrients leached out by the liquid are also eaten, so you lose less vitamins and minerals in the end dish.  I love all kinds of vegetable soups and you're only limited by your imagination.  This week's featured soup at my house is a play off this Savory Kale, Cannellini Bean and Potato Soup.  As I've mentioned before, recipes are just guides (and this totally reminded me that I still owe you 3 more from my top 5 cookbooks!), so you can doctor and adjust them to your taste or to what you happen to have on hand.  Here's what I made...give it a try or tweak it for your preference. 

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, scraped and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 small/medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
• pinch red pepper flakes 
• 5 cups chopped kale
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute onions for 5 minutes.  Add carrots and garlic and stir, cooking for about 3 more minutes.  Add potatoes and cook, stirring so they don't stick, for about 3 minutes more.  Pour in the chicken stock and water and add the herbs and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook partially covered for 20 minutes.  Add kale and garbanzo beans and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with salad, and a grilled cheese on homemade bread like I did. Yum! Be healthy!