Kale and Bean Soup

This recipe is from my web-site ( www.portuguese-recipes.com ).It has many variations this is my rendition of it.It's a great meatless soup but you can always add sausage or even stew beef.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil or 1  tablespoon canola oil
• 6 -8  garlic cloves (crushed or minced)
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 4  cups kale, chopped if fresh (you can use frozen 2 or 3 pkgs. or if canned use 2 to 3 cans)
•  you can substitute spinach, swiss chard, mustard greens, cabbage, turnip greens, collard greens (these work well)
• 4  cups chicken broth or 4  cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15 1/2ounce) cans white beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes or 1  cup chopped tomato
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon rosemary
•  salt and pepper
• 1  cup  of chopped parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil then add garlic and onion.
2. Sauté these ingredients until soft.
3. Add kale and sauté until wilted.
4. Add 3 cups of the broth, 2 cups of beans, tomatoes, herbs,salt and pepper.
5. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Use a blender, or what have you, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth.
7. I bet your asking why, its to thicken the soup.
8. Mix into soup.
9. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Serve it up in bowls and dress with parsley.
11. For Vegetarians use the vegetable broth.
12. Thanks for all the great reviews. All the substitutions and ideas are wonderful. I will try most of them myself. Again thanks. Gil2 ( www.Portuguese-recipes.com).