Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup

Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup! Welcome to bein’ green and feelin’ oh so goooood. 😉 Vitamin packed, protein packed, and flavor packed makes this my soup of the month! As usual, it came to be because I had a bunch of veggies that I needed to use up before they went south. Also, my kiddo is still refusing to eat vegetables in their true form so I am constantly making pureed soups, pureed sauces, and smoothies so that G-man is getting in his greens, oranges, reds etc. For this soup, I used kale, spinach, broccoli, white beans, oregano, garlic, leeks, and veggie broth… pure heaven.

Being that I’m trying to lose some weight before summer comes a’ knockin’, ’cause I know that’ll be around the corner if I don’t hop on that train now, I am really gettin’ down with soups, salads, veggies, and grains. I did something hilarious: didn’t drink for the month of January. Then I said something even MORE hilarious: I wouldn’t drink until June. Then reality had a big f’in laugh out loud and handed me a glass of wine… and I’ve been imbibing ever since. 😉 Life’s too short, right? Also, it’s twelve o’clock somewhere! My point being, I can justify anything, anytime, anywhere. Life is too short however to eat shitty food and diet like a nutter, so I eat amazing foods that are healthier. Even if you’re not trying to shed some lbs (though I feel like everyone I know is always trying to do that), this Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup will hit your special soup spot – no doubt. Sip, slurp, repeat! -FGG

Fun facts: These beautiful shell spoons were purchased on my amazing trip to Indonesia a few years ago. The wine is a pinot noir rose from the best winery around my neck of the woods – Ponzi! Lastly, that beautiful wine glass was my grandma Rugile’s. I was living with her in Asheville, North Carolina when she passed away. Had a stroke on her opening night on stage (was an actress). I was working backstage. We drank wine out of these glasses every night. She loved when I played the piano for her, and she could keep me out until 11pm with friends drinking B&B. What a lady!

PS- Being that I always listen to tunes when I cook and am constantly touting the amazingness of Billie Holiday and dinner time cooking, I’ve added my all time favorite Billie Holiday tune in my all time favorite arrangement of hers at the bottom of this post: You Go to My Head (Strange Fruit is a second close) 😉 Enjoy!

 

 

 

My Yum Print recipe card template is not working so here is the recipe sans template!

Title: Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup

Description:

Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup is packed with healthy ingredients, easy to make, loaded with protein and vitamins, and is CRAZY DELICIOUS! Lunch or dinner!

Serves: 6 Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

10 oz bag of tuscan kale (this equals more than 1 1/4 C – it is about 4-6 loosely packed cups of chopped kale)

2 cups broccoli florets

4 C baby spinach – loosely packed

1 15 0z can of canellini beans – do NOT drain

6 cups of veggie broth (I used 1 1/2 Tbl of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base Stock & 6 cups water)

2 leeks – chopped (use every part but the leaves at the top)

6 cloves garlic – diced

Dried oregano to taste

Pinch of salt

Pepper to taste

Olive oil for pan

Directions:

Heat pan with olive oil on medium (medium high depending on your stovetop) and then add the leeks and salt – cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally

Add garlic and cook for approximately 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally (I like my leeks to brown a little bit)

Add canellini beans and stir occasionally for 1 minute

Add broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally

Add kale and cover pan with lid. Let cook on medium for approximately 5 minutes, remove lid, stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes more

Remove from heat

Option 1:

Put contents of pan in pot on medium or medium-low depending on stovetop, add broth, spinach, and oregano if using, cook for 5 minutes, then puree with immersion blender, heat for another 5-10 minutes

Done!

Option 2:

Put contents of pan in crock pot on high, add broth, spinach, and oregano if using, let cook for 30-40 minutes

Blend with immersion blender and let cook on high for 2 hours

Turn crock pot to medium and let cook for 1 hour more

Turn crock pot to warm and let simmer for 30 minutes

Done!

Notes:

Wine pairings:

Red- Rosso di Montalcino, Chianti Classico

White- Chardonnay, Riesling

(I used a pinot noir rose because that’s what I had in my fridge. Was an okay pairing)