Spicy Kale Soup

This is one of those recipes that The Honey calls "chick food".  He doesn't like split pea soup, either.  Or any soup that is pureed.  Or green.  What can I say - this is the man that loves Sloppy Joe sandwiches, remember?  However, the one time I convinced him to eat it for dinner, he admitted that it was surprisingly (he was surprised - not me!) tasty.  It may not sound like much of a testimonial, but it's the one I'm most proud of because it was the hardest to earn.

Although this soup looks remarkably like split pea soup, trust me when I tell you it tastes nothing like it.  It's a great blend of vegetables, including a couple of potatoes to make it creamy when it's pureed.  And the kale adds some great flavor to it, though I must admit that I'm not a big fan of kale by itself.  Add in your red pepper flakes and sour cream and you have a delicious bowl of tasty goodness that has a little kick to it.  And as an added bonus, has less than half the calories of a bowl of split pea soup.


Spicy Kale Soup
(Yields about 7 1-1/2 c. servings, about 100 calories each)

4 c. chicken broth
2 potatoes, peeled
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 crowns broccoli
1 bell pepper, red or green
1 bunch kale (about 6-7 leaves)
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 c. light sour cream

Pour chicken broth into a large soup pot (with a lid) and place over medium heat.  Chop or slice all of the vegetables except the kale as desired and add to the pot.  You don't have to make it look too pretty because you'll be pureeing the soup, but remember you want the veggies to cook quickly, so be sure to chop the tougher vegetables, such as the carrots, into thin slices to they'll cook faster.

While vegetables are simmering, wash kale and separate the leafy part from the woody stem.

Chop the leafy part.

Add to the pot on top of the other vegetables.  This should fill your pot up significantly.  Do not try to stir it in just yet.

Put the lid on the pot and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  See how much prettier it looks?

Now you can stir it in.  Add the minced garlic and salt/pepper.

Continue simmering veggies another 30-45 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Now it's time to puree the soup.  I don't have a nice big food processor, but my blender works just fine.  I have to do about half at a time.

Puree for about 45-60 seconds, or until soup is smooth.

Return pureed soup to the pot and add red pepper flakes, celery salt, and thyme. Continue simmering over medium-low heat.

I'm kind of a baby when it comes to spicy things, so I just add a pinch of the red pepper flakes - maybe 1/4 teaspoon?  If you like hot, feel free to jump it up a notch and add more. You can also add the red pepper flakes BEFORE you puree it to release the spicy in the red pepper a little more intensely.  I did that once.  Never again.  I'm a wimp, remember?

Then stir in your sour cream.

When you don't see the creamy swirls any more you know it's mixed well and ready to eat.

If desired, add some cooked sausage to your bowl just before serving.