A few years ago, I made a commitment to try to eat seasonally. Of course, I can’t always eat what is in season, since I live in New York, and there are not a whole lot of fresh fruits and vegetables available in the middle of January. However, I do the best I can.
Eating seasonally is great for your health, because it means eating fresh and local. There are also environmental benefits, since it reduces transportation pollution. In the summertime fruits like watermelon and berries are in season. These fruits are have high water content and provide much-needed hydration during the warmer months. During the winter, many of us crave heavier, hot foods to stay warm.
With the weather turning cold, I have shifted my diet considerably in the last few months. I said goodbye to my beloved summer smoothies. All of last winter, I talked about how I was going to make soup as a warming food, but it never happened. A few weeks ago, I finally made my first homemade soup! It was easy and delicious. I can’t take credit, as this recipe came from a friend, but I am posting it below.
Kale and White Bean Soup
Ingredients:
(Makes 4 servings)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 fennel bulb, stems and fronds removed, sliced thinly
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt
1 bunch of kale, stems discarded and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 25 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the chile flakes, oregano and pepper and cook for a minute. Add the beans and stock, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and add salt to taste, and let cook on low heat for 1 hour.
Stir in the kale leaves and let it cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until slightly cooked.
Ladle out into a bowl and enjoy! This soup is perfect for a cold day.
Yummy
it is! easy too.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! Sounds like something my Mom would love, so I will send it to her 🙂
awesome! it is easy and yummy… 🙂
Thanks for this great recipe – with cooler weather – soups are great. I look forward to enjoying cooked kale.
its so good! you can also play around with the recipe and add your own spin.
yum ! Thanks for this recipe! I love kale and am looking for more “warming” ways to eat it. I agree with eating seasonally- I mean thats how you get the most fresh as well as being in tune with the time of year. Love smoothies- but Im with you…theres a time and a place 🙂
thanks for the awesome post!
yup… i miss my smoothies all winter long, but all they do is make me cold in the winter!
I think this recipe came just in time. It’s cold here. I love soup and easy makes it doubly appealing. Thanks!
awesome! its cold here too in NY and soups are the best in this weather…
I love eating seasonally, and this recipe looks delicious! I will definitely make this. I love kale, I still have some in my garden.
its great… definitely give it a try especially if you still have kale in your garden. 🙂
looks like a great recipe, and i’m going to give it a try! a blob recommendation? add share buttons to your posts (there are plugins that will do it for you). That way people can share your recipes and blog posts!