Vegetarian Kale Soup

Kale is a nutrient-packed powerhouse of a green that offers you antioxidants and vitamins A and C and provides plenty of fiber.  Not only a low-fat and low-calorie vegetable, kale is recognized as one of the best to eat to help defend against cancer.  This soup is also packed with lots of protein from quinoa, chia, and the chickpeas. If you want to speed up the preparation, use a food processor slicing blade to slice up the carrots, celery, and potato—so easy!

Kale Soup Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 2-6 inch sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-6 inch sprig fresh thyme (½ teaspoon dried)
• 2 large onions, sliced (2 cups)
• 1 large carrot, sliced (1 cup)
• 1 stalk celery, sliced (⅓ cup)
• 1 large potato, sliced (1 cup)
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2-14oz cans chickpeas (2 ½ cups)
• 1 bunch kale (thick center ribs removed), coarsely chopped (at least 8 cups)
• ¼ cup uncooked unpolished quinoa
• 2 tablespoons white whole seed chia
• rock salt to taste

Kale Soup Directions:

1. In a large cookpot, add oil and put on medium heat. 
2. Add garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
3. Add onion and stir until softened but not brown (about 4 minutes). Then turn up the heat to medium-high and add carrot and celery.  Cook for about 2 minutes and stir. 
4. Add potato and broth, turn heat to medium/high, and bring to a boil; then turn to low heat and add chickpeas, kale, quinoa, and chia. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. 
5. Season to taste with salt. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. 
6. Serve hot or cold. Freezes easily. 
7. Makes about 8 cups.

ENJOY!