Howdy all, hope you had a nice weekend! I woke up to dark and stormy skies on Saturday, but shook my fist at Mother Nature and decided to move forward with my morning plans anyways – strolling through the Farmers’ Market with my Mom!
We hadn’t been in weeks, and were positivity tickled to find that we practically had the place to ourselves. It seemed most chose to stay at home rather than risk getting caught in the rain.
More samples for us! ;) (PS have you ever had a yellow watermelon? It was my first time, and I was shocked at how sweet it was. Nearly double that of a red. So yum!)
I stocked up on hedge apples to keep Fall buggies out of the house (place next to all doors that lead outside on a small piece of foil. Totally works!)
And got a Spinach & Cheese Pupusa to share with my Mom!
We felt guilty about eating this much masa and cheese at 8:30am for about 14 seconds before completely demolishing it.
MUWAHAHA!
The rain eventually came later that morning, so Ben and I spent the remainder of the day strolling through the mall, reading, and watching The Notebook, which sent me into an emotional tailspin. I had never seen it before and have never felt so happy yet depressed at the same time. What a tear jerker! (And HELL-o, where has Ryan Gosling been all my life?)
Blue skies prevailed this morning so Ben and I decided to get one final use out of our summer fishing licenses and try our luck at snagging a few swimmers at a nearby lake.
I might have completely made this up, but I feel like the day after rain is the best time to go fishing.
Actually, I probably did make that up because we got nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. AGAIN! Tons of nibbles, but in the end our hooks got more action from the pond weeds than the blue gills (which I could see in the water, yet they wanted nothing to do with my bait.) Little jerks.
A little kitchen therapy had me feeling better. I made a big pot of Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup when we got home.
If you live in Iowa then you know it was about 90 degrees today, but I literally could not help myself. Saturday’s dreary weather had me itching to make something cozy, and I am so into Fall foods right now it’s not even funny. If you had one sip of this soup, you’d totally get it too!
Chopped carrots, onions and garlic mingle with fresh kale, creamy white beans, salty kielbasa, and savory parmesan cheese in this easy, flavorful soup recipe. I can already tell I’ll be making it all winter long, using the kale I’ve been chopping and freezing from my garden!
Start the Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup by sauteing 3 sliced carrots and 1/2 chopped onion in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a big soup pot over medium heat. When the veggies are tender, add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/2lb polska kielbasa (double check the package to make sure it’s gluten-free. Johnsonville is!)
Once the kielbasa is golden brown add 4 cups chicken broth into the pot while scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen up all the yummy brown bits. Mmmm.
Next add 1 bay leaf, and a small piece of parmesan cheese rind. Whole Foods sells leftover parmesan cheese rinds (for pennies!) for this exact use – adding tons of flavor and a nice richness to soup. So next time you whiddle through a wedge, be sure to save the rind in the freezer to add to your next pot.
Then add 1 can drained & rinsed Great Northern Beans, and 4 cups chopped kale. FYI cannellini beans are traditionally used in Tuscan White Bean Soup, but I like Great Northern’s better because they’re smaller and more creamy.
Place a lid on the pot and simmer until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Finally, sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese then give the pot one big final stir.
That’s all she wrote!
Serve with an extra sprinkling of parmesan cheese, if you please, then dig in!
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Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup
Description
Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup is hearty yet light, and packed with vegetables and kielbasa. The perfect cold-weather soup!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, sliced
- salt & pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
- 1/2 lb gluten-free kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used Johnsonville brand)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 2x2" Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chopped kale (remove leaves from stems/center vein before chopping)
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Directions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onions then season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add kielbasa and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Add chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen brown bits, then add beans, Parmesan cheese rind, and bay leaf. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in kale then place a lid on the pot, turn heat down to medium-low, and simmer until kale is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese then taste and adjustment seasonings if necessary.
- Remove bay leaf (Parmesan cheese rind can stay in - it will continue to flavor leftovers) then serve with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Light yet hearty, Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup is perfectly satisfying and seriously, obnoxiously good. Ben and I both gave it two thumbs up.
Plus it’ll just get better and better as it sits. Awesome for leftover lunches with an apple or salad.
Well folks – it’s time to go unwind before the start of another crazy week! Have a great night!
~~~~~
What was the highlight of your weekend?Â
Joseph 06.26.2020
Nice recipe. but what ever happened to that great Italian Chard ????
Jan Pellman 01.11.2020
It’s 2020 and I’m just now responding to your blog by telling you I cannot count the number of people for whom I’ve made this soup. It all started with a visiting family member needing GF foods. I found this soup and now my sister living across the country makes it many times during the year and I continue to make it for family and friends. I’ve noticed a lot of people responded to your blog on how their weekend went but not many commented on the soup. Here goes: THIS SOUP IS AMAZING! It’s simple to make, it’s hearty, it’s super tasty and gluten free if using the GF kielbasa. We absolutely love it. I printed off the recipe 3 years ago and have been making it ever since. I’m making it today for some friends who are coming over to watch football playoffs. They are going to love it and if they don’t, it’s more for us. But they will love it. I couldn’t remember for whom I should give credit for this soup so I researched it. I found your post just in time to say happy new year in 2020 and happy soup making. Thank you for sharing this recipe and I just wanted you to know this soup lives on and on thanks to your post.
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Jayme 01.27.2015
So apparently I didn’t understand “rind” because mine melted completely into the soup. But it was so delicious.
Amber 01.27.2014
I made this over the weekend and it made my house smell heavenly. It was the first time I had used a cheese rind in a soup and it changed my world!
Tiffany 12.30.2013
I made this tonight and it was delicious! i used jalapeno chicken sausage so it added a nice kick. Although I think the parmesan rind totally made the soup perfect!
Meredith 12.09.2013
I tried this recently as a result of your post summarizing your favorite soup recipes. It’s sooo good , thank you! It was just what the doctor ordered in this ice storm. I’m also trying your PF Changs lettuce wraps this week and I’m sure they will be awesome;)
Sheila 11.21.2013
Can you tell us what kind of pot that is and where did you get it?! I have a regular Calphalon stock pot (not huge, just regular size). Will that work too! I’ve never made a batch of soup on the stove before, only the crock-pot!
Iowa Girl Eats 11.22.2013
It’s a Calphalon Dutch Oven that I’ve had for years. A regular soup pot will work just as well!
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Sadye 01.29.2013
This was excellent! I’m officially a fangirl for kale in chicken-broth soups. Mmmm.
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Helen 12.30.2012
This soup looks so yummy. I can’t wait to make it. However, I can’t have canned beans because of the sodium content. I bought some dried great northern beans, but there are no instructions on the package as to whether they need to be soaked and for how long. Does anyone know?
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Shannon 11.08.2012
I have a recipe similar for that soup. I love it!
By the way, the photo of the Hedge Apples….are those edible! If so I had no idea. I came a cross some growing in the woods once and thought they were cool but had no clue if they were edible.
Iowa Girl Eats 11.12.2012
As far as I know they are not edible!
Becah 09.28.2012
I don’t have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes where I live *sob* but I made this soup without the cheese rind, and it was still FANTASTIC. I’m definetly making a double or triple batch next time! Don’t suppose you’d be willing to send me a coupla hedge apples? lol We don’t have those either in Southern AZ
Susan 09.25.2012
Stumbled across your blog today. (Love it!) Made this tonight with chicken Italian sausage. Very tasty!