Hearty Kale and White Bean Soup

I never fully understood what kale was until last year. My girlfriend made us a holiday dinner and served kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil. It was delicious. Then she explained that this leafy green vegetable is full of all kinds of nutrition, including calcium.

Here's a recipe I found at chowtimes.com! I made a few changes and my notes are below. You won't be disappointed. This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious!

http://chowtimes.com/2008/03/04/kale-and-white-bean-soup/print/




My notes:
-Replace the bacon with turkey bacon to reduce fat.
-Add one chopped celery heart with leaves to cook with the carrots and onions.
-Add one cup vegetable stock when simmering soup at end.
-Substitute dry beans with one can 14.5 oz of canned beans.
-Add 2-3 additional teaspoons of salt.
-Add extra fresh ground pepper to taste.

Kale is super healthy, so you can't lose with all the nutrition you get from this soup! Here's a few links about the health benefits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-of-Kale&id=136177
http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofkale.html

White Bean and Escarole Soup

My friend Pam came by on Sunday night and she brought me a gift. A jar of her delicious, homemade White Bean and Escarole soup. I love escarole and it's jam-packed with great nutrients.

Here's her recipe:

Ingredients
1 medium chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek cleaned and chopped
1 32 oz can of plum tomatoes
1 can or organic white beans (drained and washed)
½ head chopped escarole
4 chicken or vegetable Knorr vegetable bouillon packets (powder)
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Add enough good water to cover

Sautee onions, garlic and leeks in olive oil until golden brown. Add tomatoes, canned beans, chopped escarole. Cook until escarole is done – maybe about 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over soup when done. Delicious!