Recipe: Bean Soup with Greens

I modified a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com and made soup last night with some of our garden goodness:

Bean Soup with Greens

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
• 4-8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 chopped carrots
  
• 4-6 cups chopped raw greens (I used a combo of turnip, collard, and mustard)
  
• 4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (don't waste your homemade stock on this dish...the other flavors will mask it so just use canned stuff from the store)
  
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 quart chopped tomatoes (or a large can, undrained)
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb or Herbs de Provence seasoning if using the latter, also add 1 tsp orengano)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste

Saute first 4 items over medium high heat until carrots are just softening, about 10 minutes. Dump in the greens and stir to coat. Let wilt. Add 3 cups of the broth, the tomatoes (with their juices), and 1 can of beans. Add seasonings. Let soup simmer while you puree the remaining beans and broth in a food processor, Magic Bullet, or blender. Add that to the soup and let the whole thing simmer until the greens are the texture you like. Older greens (like you'd buy at the store) will need to simmer for at least 20 minutes. You can use kale in this instead of the greens I used.

This soup is seriously fantastic! It has levels of flavor. Last night Dave and I were in separate rooms eating our soup (he was watching Smallville in the living room while I was watching Friends on the office computer...) when I got up to go tell him how good I thought the soup was. When I opened the office door he was standing right there. He was coming into the office to tell ME how much HE liked the soup. (Yeah, it's THAT good).