This is what I am talking about. Winter has finally come with it's snowy snow and super freezing cold temperatures. It just feels right, even if I freeze a little every time I leave the house to walk the dog. But that's ok, it is suppose to happen.
And when it's cold and snowy we are all suppose to eat lots of warm and hearty good things to warm us up in our insides. So we soup.. Soup all day, everyday, all winter long, especially in the case of feeling slightly ill (which I have been for the past week) Eating soup makes everything better. Soup soup soup.
Soup, what a weird word. Anyway.
This soup is amazingly easy to make and even easier to eat. Full of veggies, spices and lots of beans. A perfect meal to satisfy your frozen self. And bonus, not full of shit. It's super healthy, protein packed and just plan ol good. Warm. hearty, healthy.. What more can you ask for? (you could ask for some crackers and I would probably give them to you)
Soup time!
The stuff. Navy beans, a sweet potato, and some chopped up kale. A couple carrots, an onion, a few cloves of garlic, a little olive oil and water.* And lets not forget some spices.... I used a couple bay leaves, some dried rosemary and thyme. Oh and there should be a lemon here.(I think it rolled off the counter)
*Note. Some people get all up and up about not using a stock in soup. This soup creates it's own stock with all the veggies and spices and time spent simmering but if you want, go ahead and use stock.
Start by chopping up the carrots, the onion, and the garlic and tossing it all into a really big pot along with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and the spices. Stick on the stove on medium high heat for a few minutes until the veggies start to brown.. This gives the veggies and spices a chance to develop more flavor.
Now chop up the sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss that into the pot too.
And the dried beans and water go into as well. Get it all in there, give it a mix and stick the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, then bring the heat to low. Add a lid to the pot and let cook for a while,like an hour, stirring every now and then.
Once the beans in the soup are cooked to your preferred done-ness (I like mine on al dente) remove pot from heat.
Dump in the chopped up kale...
Give it a stir.
And that lemon that rolled away. I found it. So slice up lemon. Ladle a large amount of the soup into a pretty bowl and finish it off with some cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Soup! Now grab a big spoon, a cozy sweater or blanket (or snuggy) , and maybe some crackers or bread if you feel so inclined and eat. You will be filled with warmth and happiness.
Have a great day.
-C
White Bean Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
- 1 cup dried white bean (I used navy, but you could use any white bean you like)
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 bunch of kale (about 5 cups chopped)
- 6-7 cups water (add 6 then another cup as its cooking if you think it needs it)
- 1onion
- 2 carrots
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 1 heaping tablespoon thyme or Italian seasoning
- 1 heaping tablespoon dried, chopped or ground rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- a lemon (optional but you want it)
Chop carrots, onion and garlic and stick them all into a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil, all the spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stick on the stove and cook until the veggies start to brown. While veggies are cooking, cut sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss the potato into the pot along with the beans and the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Stick a lid on the pot and simmer fir about an hour or until the beans are cooked to you liking.
Once the beans are cooked through, dump in the chopped up kale, mix it around, then call it done.
Ladle into bowls, top with cracked pepper (and more salt if you want) and serve with a wedge of lemon.
Grab a spoon, eat the soup. Be happy.
Got some left over... Well yeah, soup for later! (will last in fridge for a few days, but freezes super well too)