Green Soup

Last week I returned to NYC which was wonderful, though I over-scheduled my time far too much. I was busy with photoshoots, voice lessons, and friend time, all the while fighting a cold. Ick!

This week seems to have run away with me already-seriously, it's FRIDAY??? January 22nd??? How did that HAPPEN!?! And now I need a week to recover before my next jaunt to the big apple.

It's the beginning of second semester at the College of Midwestia. Professor Hubs is educating America's youth and I'm taking another philosophy class and continuing with Russian. I've also begun painting in the past few weeks, a favorite diversion of my youth. I'm not very good but I really enjoy it and even if my paintings aren't amazing it's an inexpensive and creative way to decorate our otherwise bare walls, no?

And, of course, I've also been doing some cooking...

In an attempt to save money I've been trying to repurpose leftovers in new, creative ways. I actually came up with some of the best meals we've had in a while: Turkey enchiladas, steak with cilantro chimichurri sauce, Portuguese Caldo Verde, etc...

The recipe below for Caldo Verde (Portuguese green soup) is not a traditional caldo verde (a potato broth with kale and sausage,) it's a combination of a traditional recipe and an attempt to rid my fridge of pesky leftovers in a creative, delicious, and healthy way. It comes together very quickly, is delicious, and really sings with some of my quick whole wheat corn bread (recipe to follow in a day or two) in place of the traditional yeast corn bread of the Portuguese, Broa. And it's so good for you: Kale! Beans! Apple Cider vinegar! It's a powerhouse of nutritional masters :)

Desperate Housediva's Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 Spanish onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

6-8 ounces cooked chicken sausage (or chorizo, or linguiça, or tempeh) sliced into thin rounds

2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable, if making vegan/vegetarian)

1 lb potatos, peeled and cut into small 1'' bites

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

splash of dry white wine

1 large can (or 2 regular cans) of cannellini beans, rinsed.

1 lb kale, rinsed, de-ribbed, chopped into thin strips.

1 Tbsp-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, to taste (optional...but awesome!)

s&p

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or casserole (medium.) Add onions, garlic, sausage, bay leaf. When onions are translucent, add potatoes and carrots.

Stir well to combine. Add wine splash and broth. When mixture begins to boil, lower heat and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are tender. Uncover, add beans and kale, stir well.

After kale has wilted, add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Bom Apetite!

(Portuguese. Like the soup. In case you didn't get it...)