Superfoods, Super You! Summer Recipe Series: Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale

This week's post in our Superfoods, Super You! Summer Recipe Series is a patron-submitted recipe received through our Summer Reading Program recipe challenge.Thanks to Victoria, you can make this Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale chock full of protein-packed beans, vitamin-packed kale, and some lovely herbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried beans* (black eyed peas, cranberry or great northern beans) or 3 cans (15 oz) various beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil or 3 tablespoons water (for water saute)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale (about 4 loose cups), center stems removed and roughly chopped
• 2 large organic tomatoes, diced (I leave the skin on) or 1 can (15 oz) crushed canned tomatoes with juice
• 8 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried sage or 3-5 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika
• Optional 3 bay leaves a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
• Himalayan salt to taste
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 8 oz of pasta of choice
• Almond parmesan and lemon, for serving

*Preparation for dried beans:

Pre-soak your beans overnight, or at least 8 hours, in a large pot of water filled two to three inches above the beans. Drain and rinse well, set aside. After pre-soaking, different beans will need to cook and simmer for different times. Cranberry beans need 45 minutes or so cooking time, while northern beans & black eyed peas need about 1 – 2 hours.

Instructions:

1. Using the same pot you pre-soaked your beans in, add oil/water and heat over medium heat
2. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes
3. Add garlic, carrots, thyme, and sage, cook another minute or so
4. Add broth(or water), beans (prepared dried beans or canned beans), bay leaves, tomatoes, kale and red pepper flakes
5. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until beans are done (time varies depending on beans…the black eyed peas will take about 1 1/2 hours; canned beans will take about 30-40 minutes)
6. Stir occasionally
7. While the soup is simmering, cook your pasta according to package, set aside
8. Once soup is ready, remove bay leaves, add in pasta, and cook for 5 more minutes
9. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Serve with a dusting of almond parmesan and a squeeze of lemon for brightness

Pairs great with crusty artisan bread or warmed corn tortillas.

From The Simple Veganista blog

Have a healthy recipe you enjoy and would like to recommend? Submit it through our Summer Reading Program  and complete the “Share Your Favorite Recipe” challenge or email me at jmarien@mywpl.org and perhaps your recipe will be featured on this blog!