There is nothing better than a huge plant based lunch! I was craving kale today so I made my favorite kale salad and a huge pot of veggie soup. It was simple, quick and delicious!
Kale Soup – serves 6
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 large stalks of celery
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinse
1 can of chopped tomatoes with juice
2 cups pre-cooked gluten free pasta spirals
6 cups loosely packed kale, de-stemmed and torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Spices and Herbs – dried basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, chili flakes, powdered garlic (Use as much or as little as you like! I never measure my spices. I just add handfuls of spices and it always turns out amazing!)
6 cups of filtered water
Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the oil. Chop the onion, red bell pepper and celery into bite size pieces. Add the chopped veggies to the pot and stir to coat. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and your spices. (I add my spices in stages – this adds depth and great flavor!)
Cover and let cook down for about 10 minutes.
Add the garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes with juice and water. Add more spices, herbs, salt and/or pepper. Turn the heat up and bring to a soft boil. Cover and reduce heat and let cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the pre-cooked pasta and kale. Stir to combine. Taste one last time to see if more spices or herbs need to be added. Take off heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
I topped my soup with fresh grated parmesan before eating.
Kale Salad – serves 1
4 cups loosely packed kale
1/2 ripe avocado
small handful of dried cranberries
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of chili flakes (optional)
Wash and dry a few leaves of curly kale and tear into large bite size pieces (about 4 cups). Place in a large bowl. Drizzle on the oil and salt and massage the kale for about a minute. This helps break down the fiber in the leaves and makes them super soft and yummy! Place the avocado in the kale and quickly massage to coat the leaves. Add cranberries and chili flakes and gently toss. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so and then enjoy!
XxOo Tasha
The Clean Eating Mama 