Kale and Potato Soup (and Kale chips!)

Mmmm, kale.


I have to admit, it is one of my favorite foods ever. And I'm pretty sad I just discovered it two years ago...think about what my life could've been like with more kale!


Okay, probably not all that different, but whatev.


Point is, it's delicious!


I'm including two kale recipes, both of which I got from Ian's mom. Ian's parents are both really great cooks, and almost everything they make is healthy and full of delicious veggies. I'd actually never eaten kale before I tried this soup, and let me tell you, it was love at first bite!


 This soup has a lot of flavor on its own, but if you like your food spicy, I definitely reccomend adding a little hot sauce...I do, and it makes the soup even better. This is a pretty light soup, and is really good with a piece of fancy toasted bread and a little olive oil.


Added bonus- this soup is super easy to make...if you can chop, you can make it!



Kale and Potato Soup
makes about 10 cups, 114 calories per cup
Adapted from Ian's mom


1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (I like yellow, but white will also work!)
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium all purpose potatoes, about 1 lb, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 lb fresh kale, tough stems removed, leaves rinsed and chopped
6 oz. reduced fat turkey kielbasa, cubed (you can use regular kielbasa or maybe even sausage, but I prefer turkey)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper


1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion and garlic and stir over medium heat until aromatic (yum, I LOVE this part, it smells sooo good!), about two minutes.


2. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes or potatoes are tender.


3. Stir in kielbasa, salt and red pepper. Heat 2-3 minutes.


And you're done. Seriously, I told you it was easy!!

Now for the kale chips- just as easy- all it involves is a little chopping. It's a really good snack, or a tasty side for dinner. I like to make these and eat them while I cook if I'm making a time consuming dinner.


Kale Chips
serves 2, about 96 calories per serving


2 cups kale, tough stems removed, leaves rinsed and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Your favorite spices! I use lemon pepper and red pepper flakes, but any spices will do.


Ready for how easy this is?


Preheat oven to 350°. Season the chopped kale to your liking, toss with olive oil, and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crispy.


A few notes on these chips:
1. Don't over salt! I did this the first time I made them and it was really gross.
2. It's going to look like a lot of kale when it's on the baking dish, but they shrink to about half their original size during cooking.
3. Sometimes I get lazy and just rip the kale up instead of chopping it- it's kinda fun and really easy.
3. Make sure you buy extra kale because I promise you'll want to make this again!




Enjoy!
Amanda