Comfort Soup

Well, I actually made up my own recipe this time, although it's nothing all that inventive. One day I found myself searching the internet for a recipe for soup with cannelini beans, pasta and kale, and I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. It suddenly occurred to me that I already knew the ingredients I wanted to put in it, so I made up my own recipe. I have been buying this huge bunch of kale when I go shopping, so I try to put it into everything I make. So yummy! Sometimes I just cook it with a little garlic and Grace and I gobble it down. Sometimes I crave it. This soup turned out wonderfully for us, since I am sick now too with a cold and sore throat and just feel like shit. It's not too exciting as far as spices go, but very tasty, warm and comforting. Grace ate two bowls of it last night. She's feeling much better now.

Measurements are approximate, as I usually don't measure

Pasta e Fagioli with Kale

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 onion, chopped
5-6 cups vegetable broth
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 can cannelini beans
Big handful of kale greens, chopped small
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt and black pepper to taste

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onion is soft. Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil. Add macaroni, cannelini beans (minus about 1/3 cup), tomato paste and spices to taste. Lower heat to med-low and cook until pasta is done. Puree the rest of the beans and add to the soup to make it thick and creamy. Throw in the kale and cook until kale is done. Serve with bread. I ate it with a slice of foccacia bread with Earth Balance dairy-free margarine. My local grocery store has a bakery and they make this round loaf of foccacia bread once in a while and sell it for $1.39. I buy them all and put them in my freezer for sandwiches and things like this. Oh, so good.