This is what the inside of my refrigerator looks like.
Okay, I’m exaggerating — I took this photo at my local organic market a couple of months ago. But I am busy trying to figure out what to do with all the beets and kale that have been spilling forth from my CSA box the last couple of weeks. Soup isn’t what comes to mind when it’s 85 degrees out, but Ali’s recent cream of mushroom version inspired me to break out the soup pot and simmer away.
sweet potato & kale soup
what you need
• 1 bunch kale, washed, dried and chopped (heavy stems removed)
• 4 cups chicken broth (homemade or 1 box Imagine organic chicken broth)
• 4 cups water
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (I ended up with about 2 cups chopped)
• 1 can Eden Organic Pizza/Pasta Sauce (this tomato and herb sauce adds a perfect richness to the soup)
• 1 can white beans, cannellini or great northern
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
• sausage (I threw in 2 links of chicken sausage, chopped in medallion-type chunks)
• grated parmesan cheese
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• oil for frying (I use coconut oil, use whatever your oil of choice is)
what you do
Heat 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat in a good sized stock pot. Brown sausage, add onions and garlic and stir until tender. Add chicken broth, water and the can of Eden Pasta sauce. Stir well to blend ingredients. Add chopped sweet potatoes and simmer for 45 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Add beans, kale and herbs and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Kale should be cooked, but still have some “freshness” to it. I like to add greens at the end and simmer for a few minutes so they maintain some substance. Ladle into serving bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese.
Herb ideas — the Eden pizza/pasta sauce is a great addition to this soup and contains the perfect herb mix. I keep a couple of cans of this rich, thick, organic sauce on hand at all times. It’s a quick way to add depth and flavor to soups and stews. If you want, simply expand on that flavor combination with more of the same herb blend (oregano, thyme, basil).
You might also like:
beans and collard greens recipe
mineral-rich kale chips
poached eggs on kale
kale, chard and mushroom lasagna
Go forth and green up your life!
Melissa
Tags: community supported agriculture, gluten-free, kale, seasonal produce, soup
Melissa-This sounds really good!! I just made sweet potato chili last week for our support group meeting so I know how much flavor they can add to a soup/stew type dish. And, the addition of the pizza sauce sounds like genius! I’ve really liked the herbs that are in pizza sauce when I’ve used them for recipes, too.
Hey, you know how some folks have a special wine refrigerator, you might have to get a kale refrigerator!
Shirley
We have crazy amounts of kale, too. I’d never even eaten kale before this summer, now I cook it every day.
My favorite thing to do with the kale so far has been kale pizza. We used pizza crust (can you do gluten free pizza crust?), tomato sauce, sauteed mushrooms, italian sausage and kale, topped with mozzarella. It was fabulous.
I also put it in a stir fry this week with my broccoli and peas - also really good.
Shirley,
Yeah — this bombardment of greens is getting intense. I’m not complaining though. In fact, I have 2 recipes for your “Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free” carnival. One has dehydrated kale in it.
Adding a good pizza/pasta sauce like the Eden organic one is such a good way to add depth to chicken broth soups and stews. That’s one of my GF thickener tricks.
Rayann,
Wow, you’re getting a full-on introduction to kale this summer, aren’t you!?
Yes, I love all kinds of greens on pizza. And yes, again — we have some great GF pizza crusts made with everything from amaranth to sorghum to brown rice.
Kale and Italian sausage just seem to got together, don’t they?! I love that.
Two recipes for the carnival?! That sounds great, and I know folks will really appreciate one with dehydrated kale. You’re not the only one getting lots of kale from your CSA it seems … I’m seeing it on other sites, too.
Shirley
Shirley,
Yes, I have 2 that I thought I’d put together. I’m going to be out of town starting today for the next several days, so I’ll get to it when I return. I’m going to Idaho and the Sawtooth Mountains! Yeah!
I’ll be in touch soon. I’m not ignoring you if you don’t hear from me for the next 5 or 6 days.
We have too much kale these days too - lots of smoothies for us. Kale soup sounds good! I made something similar when I was pregnant with my twins. This is the only time in my life (since I was a kid) that I have made pork. I used a spicy pork sausage from a local farm - pasture finished animals. I sliced them up and added cooked pink beans, fire roasted tomatoes, yams, onions, kale, and loads of garlic. Oh - some chipotle in there too. It was one of the best stews I have ever made - though I couldn’t stomach the pork now.
Cold here today again, where did summer go?
-A
Ali — I agree with you on the meat thing. I’m not a big meat eater, but every so often I have some high-quality, grass fed and finished options.
Summer? We had the most violent storm Monday night — cold and lots of hail and wind.