Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Southern Inspired Collard Green Soup


This delicious hearty soup has become one of my favorites. Nutrition meets Soul Food. Warm, savory, and satisfying-- perfect for cool autumn evenings.  My 5-year-old proudly proclaims: "I LOVE Collard Greens!" when she finds out I've made this for dinner and my toddler gobbles it up, too.

You could substitute any white bean and use spinach, kale, or chard and it would be just as tasty.

Ingredients:

1 Tb. olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 bay leaf
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 tsp. salt (Salt to taste, really)
6 cups vegetable stock or vegetarian chicken broth
1 15 oz. can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pearled barley (eliminate for gluten free)
3 Tb. minced garlic
1 large bunch collard greens, stemmed and chopped
Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, bay leaf, celery, carrots and salt. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, then add stock or broth and barley. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender. 

Add black eyed peas, garlic, and as much of the collard greens as you can fit. Cover and wait a few minutes for the greens to cook down. Keep adding the greens in batches until they are all incorporated. Add black pepper to taste and adjust salt. 

Serve hot, garnished with a little parsley and a spoonful of parmesan or romano cheese (eliminate for vegan version, of course!).

I love to toast some crusty artisan bread, tear off a piece and dip it into my soup...Mmmmm. I'd make this again for dinner if I hadn't already made it twice in two weeks. I think I'll make Lebanese lentil soup instead...

Happy, healthy eating! 

Serves 4-6 (We have to double it in my house)