Kale, quinoa & white bean soup

With the arrival of kale season it is time for a recipe with the king of the green veggies. This is currently the favorite soup of my whole family and it usually gets made a little differently each time. I have found several similar recipes on the Internet, and have taken the best ideas from them all and come up the general recipe here. You can also add whatever extra vegetables you happen to have in the fridge or substitute potatoes for the quinoa. Also, feel free to spice it up any way your taste buds desire.

Fresh kale plants in my car 

A brief nutritional note on kale... 

it has nearly 200% of our daily requirements of Vitamins A and C, it is loaded with Omega 3- and 6-fatty acids; plus, it contains major doses of Vitamin K (684%), folate, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. It puts spinach to shame!

KALE, QUINOA & WHITE BEAN SOUP

Source: The Simple Veganista

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 large celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dried quinoa

2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes, with juices

7–8 cups vegetable broth

100 g fresh kale, loosely chopped

3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley

Salt, black, and cayenne pepper to taste

Alternatives: Add carrots or other veggies; or you can use potatoes instead of quinoa, preferably a mix of white and sweet potatoes

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in garlic and celery cook another couple of minutes. Add in the quinoa, beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Add in kale and parsley, keep on low heat, stirring occasionally, until kale wilts.

Eat with a warm, crispy loaf of dark bread. Yummy!