Name: Kale & Cannellini Soup
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped; 1 stalk celery, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; Leaves of 4 large sprigs of fresh thyme; Salt; Pepper; 1/4 tsp Yagenbori spice blend; 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed to remove sodium; 1 bunch Tuscan kale, rinsed, stems removed, cut into bite-sized chunks; 6 cups vegetable broth, low sodium if you prefer; 1/2 cup farro; Pumpkin seed garnish (optional)

This recipe from reader Vicki Bensinger hits all the right notes, and is perfect for taking advantage of late season kale and shaking off the chill as we transition into spring. "The weather in the Midwest is still quite cold. So much for springtime. Typically by now I’m bringing out all the fresh fruit and brightly colored veggies to eat raw. With this constant cold snap I’ve been craving fresh earthy vegetable soups piping hot to keep me warm and cozy, like this Kale and Cannellini Soup.

Kale & Cannellini Soup

Vicki Bensinger

Servings/Yield

4 to 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Leaves of 4 large sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp Yagenbori spice blend
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed to remove sodium
1 bunch Tuscan kale, rinsed, stems removed, cut into bite-sized chunks
6 cups vegetable broth, low sodium if you prefer
1/2 cup farro
Pumpkin seed garnish (optional)

Directions

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili flakes, thyme, spices, salt and pepper; sauté until fragrant, about a minute.
Add cannellini beans and half the kale; stir to wilt. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add farro; simmer, until tender, about 10 minutes. Turn heat off.
Using an immersion blender, puree soup.
Add remaining kale, heat until wilted, and serve.
A tip from Christian: Try roasting some pumpkin seeds tossed with olive oil and Yagenbori for an additional flavor hit. A link to Vicki Bensinger’s full blog post is here!