Kale Soup

Kale.  It’s a superfood.  Superfoods are all the rage – they can make you thin in like, minutes, I think.  At least that’s what SELF.com promised me.  But even if it doesn’t, it’s OK, because I actually like kale, at least when served in a bowl with tomatoey broth and potato chunks and sausage, a concoction generally known as kale soup.

I definitely didn’t eat the original kale soup because at the age of 7 my diet consisted of exactly three foods – pasta, potatoes, and chicken fingers.  I’m so glad that’s changed.  Now that I’m old enough to appreciate food groups besides white starch, I request this soup fairly often.  It’s got a great, hearty flavor, which is even better the next day, and is definitely qualified to be a member of the healthy meals category.  I love it when the healthy meals category includes sausage.

Kale Soup

• 1 lb. linguica (or kielbasa), sliced
• 1 c. ground carrots
• 1 c. ground onion
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 48 oz. can chicken broth
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 bunch fresh kale, chopped, or 12 oz. box frozen kale*
• 1 can kidney beans

This one’s easy:

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add beans and cook until heated through.  Done.

*If you use fresh kale, you may want to up the liquid content, as the frozen kale releases more water and takes up less volume than the fresh stuff.