Sunday's Soup/Bountiful Greens Soup

This past week I saw my retina specialist. I was a little apprehensive as I had been told by the surgeon who operated on my right eye this past summer that she saw the formation of a third mole on my retina. Oh my. But, the news was great! He said that yes he saw the third mole, and he felt that there was no sign of a malignancy. Whew!!! So relieved! In just a week's time, I found out that I am in great shape, colon wise, and my eyes are holding steady. The retina specialist told me to keep doing what I'm doing...and I will! 

With the holidays coming up, and the temptation to eat lots of rich food, I thought I would post a soup that I love to eat. It is chuck full of vitamins, and while it looks like a soup that will taste like grass, it's actually quite delicious.

This soup is a blend of asparagus, kale, spinach, carrots and fennel.

Begin by sauteing 1 large onion with 2 chopped carrots in olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Add the chopped fennel, asparagus, chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper, garlic and saute for another 10 minutes.

Add chopped kale, chopped spinach, and chopped parsley along with 8 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Blend the soup with a handheld blender, or in a blender until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of tahini(sesame paste). The tahini adds a lovely smooth taste to the soup as well as a little protein. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Serve the soup with toasted nuts, I like toasted pumpkin seeds. 
It really is quite delicious and will ward off all sorts of winter bugs and make up for a little of the indulgences that we just can't resist this time of year :) 

Bountiful Greens Soup

ingredients;
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 large carrots chopped
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chopped asparagus
1 fennel bulb chopped, use only the bulb
6 cups coarsely chopped spinach
1 bunch kale coarsely chopped, stems removed
1 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup tahini(sesame paste)
8 cups vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste

directions;
Pour olive oil in large pot. Add onion and carrots. Saute until onion is translucent. Add jalapeno, garlic, fennel, and asparagus. Continue sauteing for another 10 minutes. 
Add kale, spinach, and parsley to the pot along with 8 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 
Remove pot from heat. Use a blender, or handheld blender to puree soup.
Stir in tahini. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve soup with toasted nuts of choice.

The soup will freeze well.

Enjoy!
Rhonda    

Sunday's Soup/Eggplant, Kale, and Chickpea Stew

I have been working on a very fun project. You won't believe what it is, and you won't believe who it's for!!! So pop back by tomorrow, and I will share all the excitement with you :)

This is just the best time of year with all the fresh vegetables coming into the market. One that I love is eggplant. That rich purple color, the color of royalty, it is just so inviting. 

Today's soup is really more of a stew. Just the perfect dish for loading up on lots of vitamins for the coming months of winter. There's eggplant, baby kale, chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley, and lovely aromatic spices.   

Begin by cutting the eggplant into bite size cubes. Place in a colander and pour 1 tablespoon of sea salt over the eggplant. Stir well to coat. Allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour.  

While the eggplant is sitting, saute 1 medium chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. For this dish, I like to let my onion brown slightly.
 

Add 3 chopped cloves of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Saute for about a minute to bring out the flavors of the garlic and red pepper.

Now add the spices, cumin, coriander, and caraway seed. Add the chickpeas and saute for another minute allowing the spices to enhance the flavor of the chickpeas. 

Add the tomatoes, chopped kale, parsley, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Allow soup to simmer until eggplant is ready.

Once eggplant has sat for 1 hour, rinse well and then dry with paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet. Cook eggplant in hot olive oil until nicely browned. This should be done in 2 batches,adding more olive oil to the second batch. 

Add the browned eggplant to the soup mixture. Bring to a boil once again, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. The soup is now ready to serve! If you would like, make a pot of brown rice and serve the soup/stew over the rice. Makes for a heartier meal.

Eggplant, Kale, and Chickpea Stew
Makes 4 hearty servings

ingredients;
6 cups cubed eggplant
2 cups canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped baby kale
1 cup chopped parsley
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if possible)
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
salt and black pepper to taste 

directions;
Begin by placing cubed eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Mix well to coat. Allow to sit for at least 1 hour.

While eggplant is sitting, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to large pot. Add chopped onion and saute until slightly browned. Add crushed red pepper and garlic. Saute for about a minute being careful not to burn. Add cumin, coriander, and caraway seed, stirring well to combine. Add chickpeas and and allow to cook with the spices for about a minute to infuse chickpeas with the spices. Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and add chopped kale and chopped parsley. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow the stew to cook until eggplant is ready.

Once eggplant is ready, rinse well with cold water. Drain on paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel. Divide in half. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in skillet. Add half of the eggplant and cook until browned. Add to stew mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Bring the stew to a boil once more. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Serve as is, or over brown rice for a heartier meal. Top the stew with a little fresh parsley and a bit of lemon juice. 

  
The soup will freeze well, so make up a big pot and have some on hand for later.

Hope you enjoy the stew!

Rhonda

Sunday's Salad/Goddess of Greens Salad, and a Refreshing Drink

Having a 'coke' was a treat when I was growing up, not something we drank on a daily basis. My fondest memories of drinking a soft drink were after our weekly afternoon of swimming. We were treated to the soft drink of our choice, and a bag of chips. I feel like a stone-age leftover saying this, but when I was growing up, chips did not come in the humongous bags that they do now. What we ate would be considered a very small bag by today's standards. But, after an afternoon of swimming, a soft drink and a bag of chips was such a treat. 

Truth be told, I still enjoy a soft drink from time to time. Yes, I know all about the bad things in a soft drink. I feel this way, everything in moderation. But, my go to drink in the summer time is a refreshing drink made with hibiscus tea. The natural red color of the blossoms is so inviting. 

I really like Mighty Leaf teas, and order the teas I drink directly from the company. You can find their site HERE. Sign up for emails as they have some wonderful specials, like putting their teas on sale for half off.

I brew the tea in a pitcher, usually 6 tea bags. I allow the tea to brew for at least 30 minutes. Once brewed, remove the teabags and allow the tea to cool. Once cooled, I add 1 orange sliced, 1 lemon sliced, and about 2" of fresh peeled and sliced ginger. Store in the refrigerator overnight to allow the juice to infuse the tea. If you would like to sweeten the tea, add stevia to taste. 
Serve in a pretty glass. Garnish with a slice of orange,and enjoy. If you would like some bubbles, add club soda, or sparkling water. For parties, mix the tea with some Prosecco for a refreshing cocktail. 

I can go through an entire pitcher during the course of the day, and to be honest, the thought of a soft drink never crosses my mind. So if you would like to try and cut down on your soft drink consumption, give my Hibiscus Tea recipe a try. I think you'll love it!    

I have been planning to share this salad with you for the last few weeks. If I say so myself, it is OMG good!

We'll begin with the salad dressing;

Begin by roasting 2 poblano peppers. It can be done in the oven with the broiler, or outside on a grill. Roast until blackened. Once roasted, place the peppers in a plastic bag for 15 minutes to steam. Remove and pull off the blackened skin, and seeds.    

Place the skinned peppers in a blender along with 1/2 an avocado, 1 clove of garlic, 1 egg yolk, Dijon mustard, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.  Blend to form a green cloud of deliciousness. 
    

Chop or tear up 4 cups of kale and place in a salad bowl. Top the kale with 4 sliced radishes, 1/2 cup of cooked red quinoa, and 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds. This can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for a few hours until ready to serve.

 

 Pour 1/3 of the salad dressing over the salad, and mix well. Top the salad with 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese, and mix into the salad.
  

Serve the salad with extra dressing on the side. Believe me, it's so good, you'll want to add a little more. A friend of mine said that she could eat the dressing like soup!
  

Since kale holds up in the refrigerator, the leftovers are wonderful the following day for lunch. 

Goddess of Greens Salad
printable recipe

dressing;
2 Poblano peppers
1 egg yolk
1/2 avocado
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil

Roast poblano peppers in the broiler or on the grill until skin is blackened, about 10 minutes. Place in plastic bag and allow to steam for 15 minutes. Remove from bag, remove blackened skin and seeds. Place in blender along with egg yolk, garlic, mustard, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend. While blender is running, slowly pour in the olive oil. If a thinner consistency is desired, add more buttermilk. 

Salad;
4 cups kale chopped or torn
4  red radishes sliced
1/2 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place kale, radishes, red quinoa, and pumpkin seeds in a large salad bowl. Pour 1/3rd of the dressing over the salad, and toss well to mix. Top with the feta cheese, toss once again, and serve. 

The leftover dressing will last refrigerated for at least 3 days. It's good as a dip for carrot and celery sticks, too! 

Enjoy!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Lentil Harvest Soup

I am SOOOO excited!!!

As I've shared many times, I enjoy the blog, Design Sponge. A few weeks back, there was a contest sponsored by Design Sponge to introduce a new cookbook, Coconuts and Collards.

For a chance to win, the challenge was to share what food reminds you the most of home. Here is what I wrote;

When I think of home, I think of my grandmother's kitchen, a rather sparse space in comparison to today's kitchen, a small enamel topped table, a large Hoosier cabinet, a sink that stood on legs, and a massive stove. She loved to make muffins with Malt-O-Meal cereal. She kept them in a pan in the lower section of her Hoosier cabinet, always on hand for that unexpected visitor. Just the right amount of sweet to accompany a cup of tea.

I thought the recipe was lost once she died, but to my surprise, it's on the box, and called Magic Muffins. Such a fitting name.

I do not keep them on hand as she did, but when I need to feel her presence, I make a batch, sit down with a cup of tea, and she is there, if only in spirit. 

What an honor it is to have been chosen the winner. 

Once the book arrives, I will share lots more of what's inside. Can't wait! :)

Today's soup recipe is just a twist on other soups I've shared. When I've had to eat things for a period of time that are a little rich for my diet, be it because of having guests, or traveling, I begin to crave something that's basic and nourishing. That's what this soup is, very basic, but quite nourishing. And then, there's the added bonus of...it tastes really good! I'm calling it Lentil Harvest Soup as there's basically a harvest of garden vegetables, with lentils providing protein.

The recipe is simple and quick enough for a weeknight meal. Be sure to add the sweet potato. Adds just a bit of sweet which is so nice. Leftovers are great for lunches! 

Lentil Harvest Soup
printable recipe

1 cup red lentils
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 28 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
3 large carrots sliced
2 cups chopped kale
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 cups vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste

Begin by placing the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute to bring out the flavor, but not burn.

Add lentils, cubed sweet potato, carrots, tomatoes, kale, dried oregano, and 6 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, approximately 20 minutes. The lentils will absorb some of the broth, so adjust once lentils are tender. 

Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy! 

   
When I eat a bowl of soup, I am so bad about drinking the broth out first and then enjoying the vegetables. 

As always, if you decide to give it a try, I hope you enjoy the soup!
Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Winter Root Vegetable Soup with Kale

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments that were left on my Grateful post. A couple of you had me laughing so hard with the idea of the antics of my girlfriend and I sounding like an episode of I Love Lucy!!! Like I said, we've been friends for 35 years, and have done some pretty crazy things. Yes, we could be our own comedy show ;) Thanks for the laughs, I really needed that. Nothing like a good laugh to cleanse the soul :) 

Have you ever heard of the Moosewood Cookbook? It's a funky, vegetarian cookbook that I absolutely love. In fact, the same friend from the Grateful post gave it to me over 30 years ago. My copy is now a very well worn book, loose pages and a taped together spine. 

One of the things that I especially enjoy, other than the recipes, are the cute little drawings that accompany each recipe. When I began putting the soup recipes together, my goal was to eventually publish a cookbook/soup book. I'm now working on the book(finally), and rather than photographs, I'm doing drawings that are similar to what you might find in the Moosewood Cookbook. 

I'm currently going through my recipes and testing/tweaking them just to make sure that when they are published, and tried, it will taste just like what I make. 

Back in 2013, I published a recipe for a Creamy Winter Root Vegetable Soup.   I love a good cream soup, but when I began to test the recipe, I decided to make it into a vegan version, and that's what I am going to share with you today. 

The ingredients are basically the same, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic and fresh basil.

No butter was used in this recipe, just olive oil. The onions were sauteed until tender in the olive oil, and then the vegetables were added, along with the vegetable broth.

Another change with this recipe is the addition of chopped kale, green pigeon peas (for protein), and dried rosemary. 

If you have never used green pigeon peas before, they are a lovely little pea that has a bit of substance to it, not at all mushy.

This is not a creamed version of the soup, just a nice hearty winter vegetable soup.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup with Kale

printable recipe

Ingredients;

3 tablespoons of olive oil
4 parsnips sliced, about 3 pounds in total
4 Irish potatoes, chopped
4 carrots sliced
1 large yellow onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
2 cups finely chopped kale
1 14 oz. can Green Pigeon Peas drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary 
10-12 cups of vegetable broth 
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot. Add chopped onion and saute until tender. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaves, and garlic along with 8 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Add chopped fresh basil, chopped kale, pigeon peas, and rosemary. Adjust liquid. Depending upon the size of your vegetables, you may need to add up to 4 more cups of broth. If more broth has been added, bring to a boil once again, then reduce to simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, giving the herbs and kale time to flavor the soup.

Serve with warm crusty bread, or my favorite, a pan of fresh made cornbread. 

The recipe yields 8 hearty servings. 

If you give it a try, hope you enjoy it!
Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Hearty Curried Lentil and Garbanzo Bean Vegetable Soup

 YOU MUST MAKE THIS SOUP!

That is, if you like lentils and curry :)

A friend stopped by after having a difficult day. I asked, "would you like a bowl of soup?" The reply, "did you make it?" "Yes."
"Then I would LOVE a bowl of soup!" Such a nice compliment :)

If I say so myself, this is a fantastic soup.

Begin with a large chopped onion. Saute in a little oil until translucent. Add 3 ribs of chopped celery, and saute until tender. Add 3 chopped cloves of garlic and saute for just another minute to bring out the flavor but not burn the garlic. 

Meanwhile...
*cook 1 cup of dried lentils in 4 cups of vegetable broth until tender. About 20 minutes.  
*cook wild rice.

Once lentils are tender, add 2 cups of sliced carrots to the pot.
  

Then,
2 cups of chopped kale.
1 14 oz. can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed.
1 cup of cooked wild rice.
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste

Add 4 additional cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until carrots and kale are tender.
  

Before serving, add juice of 1/2 lemon.

Ladle into bowls and top with fresh crumbled feta cheese. If you opt for a vegan version, then omit the cheese.

The soup is fantastic for leftover lunches. The recipe will make 8 hearty servings. The aroma will warm your soul :)

Hearty Curried Lentil and Garbanzo Bean Vegetable Soup

printable version

ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 large onion chopped
3 ribs celery chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 cup dried lentils
8 cups vegetable broth
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups chopped kale
1 14 oz. can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked wild rice
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
Juice  1/2 lemon
Crumbled feta cheese to top

Begin by rinsing dried lentils. Place in a large post and add 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil and saute onion until translucent. Add chopped celery and cook until tender. Add chopped garlic and saute another minute just bring out the flavor without burning.

Once lentils are tender, add chopped carrots, chopped kale, sauteed onion mixture, rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, cooked wild rice, curry powder, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender. 

Before serving, add fresh squeezed lemon juice. 

Ladle into bowls, and if you would like, top with crumbled feta cheese. Then savor the aroma and flavor!


This soup was a HUGE hit in my house. Hope you enjoy it too if you give it a try :)
Rhonda

The Wednesday Showcase

It's been a fairly mild winter in Chicago. I have a feeling that the 

bottom is going to fall out of the weather bucket come February and we're going to be shocked! Gotta love Chicago :)

Regardless of the weather outside, thanks to my nephew, it's always springtime in my home. For a number of years, he has been giving me amaryllis bulbs for Christmas. They arrive potted. This year he chose a fun knitted pot with 3 big bulbs. When they arrive, I immediately unpack them, give them a good watering and wait for the magic to begin. This year's amaryllis arrived quite close to Christmas, so no growth before the holidays, but I think this is going to be my best blooming to date. One has just started to open and I'm beyond excited. Once it's in full bloom, I'll share the beauty. Nothing better than a blooming amaryllis in winter, at least in my book :)  

I thought I would share a picture that I received from a pilot that I tagged with on a rescue. Had no idea that the picture was taken. My sister-in-law sent a note and asked if I had gotten a new puppy. I responded, "I wish!!!" I still miss Little Bit terribly, but my heart is healing. A new puppy is in my future. When it will be, I have no idea. I wasn't looking for Little Bit, or Gracie when they came to me, so when it's right, a new little friend will make its way into my life :)

I failed to share a new recipe with you this past Sunday. Truth be told, I was lazy, so I'll share it next Sunday. But, I thought I would share a smoothie recipe that I tried...and loved! Makes for a great lunch or breakfast. I found it on the Fleet Feet website. The ingredients are simple, just a banana, carrot, a little peanut butter(or nut butter of your choice, I like sunflower butter), rice milk(I used unsweetened almond milk), and frozen chopped kale. For the frozen kale, the author says to just buy a bag of chopped kale, bring it home and throw it in the freezer. No food processor is needed for this smoothie, just put the sliced carrots, banana, and milk in a blender. Once it's smooth, add the nut butter and kale.   

You'll end up with a fabulous smoothie that will make you think you're cheating. The frozen kale gives it somewhat of an ice cream type of a feel. It's not sweet, so if you would like a sweeter taste, add a little stevia or honey.   

Okay, enough about me ;)

I had 2 bloggers to share with you today, but it seems that one is revamping her blog, so I'll keep a look out for when her site is up once again. Although we only have 1 new blogger to meet, she's fabulous and I know you are going to love meeting her if you haven't already.

Meet Eli Cat of Cat In A Wardrobe. EVERYTHING she makes is beautiful!!!

I absolutely fell in love with the jacket she made using Butterick 5958. The Butterick website says that the pattern is out of print, but it also looks like you might be able to still order it. It's a great pattern that also includes a vest. Love, love the vest that Eli Cat did!  

So inventive, she took the 2 Vogue patterns pictured below and created this sensational jumpsuit.

What a fun little dress. It all came about because she had leftover grommets from another project and wanted to use them up. 

The cape below is Vogue 8776. I couldn't find the pattern on the Vogue website, but it is similar to the Islander Cape Super Express. This cape features a hidden button placket, which I really like, and of course the lining is after my own heart :)

Eli Cat has been a Member In Focus on Pattern Review. You can see that article HERE. 

Besides beautiful pictures, and lovely garments, an aspect of her posts that I REALLY like is that she keeps account of how long it takes her to make a garment. Great resource. So, check out her blog, I know that you'll be so happy that you did!

Be sure to come back on Friday as a new Sewbussted's Material Witness episode will be up. I think it's a fun one :)

Have a wonderful day!
Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Chickpea and Kale Stew

The downside of traveling can be the lack of healthy food. While it's fun to splurge a little (I did get some fried oysters in while I was away!), getting back on track always makes me feel so much better. 

A while back, I came across THIS recipe for a Chickpea Stew from Healthier Steps. The blog is written by Michelle who was born in Jamaica. She loves blending European and Caribbean cuisines. Her recipes have been featured in Parade Magazine, The Huffington Post, Epicurious, and many others. 

The stew is DELICIOUS!!! I did make a few minor changes...

My changes are below in red.

• 1 cup chick peas, dry or two-15 ounce cans chick peas, drained
• (I used canned chickpeas)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, (1/4 cup water)
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 tsp dried parsley (1 tablespoon dried parsley)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (1 teaspoon basil)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups liquid from boiled chickpeas, or water
• 6 cups water
• 1 bunch kale chopped 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

Whether you decide to add the chopped kale or not, 2 cups of water will not be enough. 4 cups may be sufficient if you don't add the kale, so add a little at a time until the stew is the consistency that you prefer. 

And one last addition, I added a few slices of avocado. Just perfect!

I served the stew with stew on one side of the bowl, and brown rice on the other side, topped with the sliced avocado. We stirred it all together and then dug in!

The stew is, as I said, delicious. It's hearty, satisfying, and yet not too heavy.

Be sure to check out Michelle's blog. There's a page for natural remedies, including a great recipe for a natural orange cleaner. On her recipe page, you'll find everything from main courses to a super tempting recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Donuts. I'm in!!!

Enjoy!
Rhonda 

Sunday's Soup/Roasted Cauliflower and Kale

Not only is the fall season my favorite time of the year, it also holds my favorite day, the day we get rid of daylight savings and fall back to the good ole' regular time. For me, it's like all is right with the world once more :) 

Our weather in Chicago has been especially mild, no snow, no ice, not even a dip below freezing. But...it's coming!!! :) So in anticipation of the eventual falling temperatures, I've begun to stock my freezer with soups that I can easily take out and enjoy for lunch and dinner. 

Since I've been sharing recipes, I've had a number that included roasted cauliflower; 

Roasted Cauliflower, Leek and Carrot Soup

  
My absolute favorite, Roasted Cauliflower Wraps, and HERE with a twist.

Not so healthy, but oh so good!!!, Roasted Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese, a real crowd pleaser BTW :)

It's obvious that I love roasted cauliflower, so when I came across THIS recipe for a roasted cauliflower and kale soup, I just had to give it a try. The recipe comes from Cooking LSL, Simple Recipes, Inspiring Food. Many of the recipes inspire healthy eating, but the author also enjoys a little something indulgent from time to time. So be sure to check out the blog as I think you'll find lots of fun recipes to try.

There are only 4 basic ingredients in this soup, cauliflower, kale, onions, and garlic. Roasting the cauliflower is key to the recipe, so please don't take a short cut and just boil the cauliflower. 

What really makes the soup special is the roasted kale chips that you top the soup with just before serving. A warning about kale chips...they're REALLY good. I made mine up, ate ALL of them and then had to make more for the soup!!! 

The soup can easily be made up in advance and kept in the freezer until you've ready for a bowl. Although the soup is very easy to make, it's a soup that you could serve to any foodie type person as it's just that special.

I followed the recipe and made no changes. One suggestion would be to top the soup with a little grated white cheddar cheese, maybe even a smoked white cheddar. I think it would make a nice addition. 

If you give it a try, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Nothing like a bowl of soup that warms the soul and is still good for you!

Happy Fall!

Rhonda