Garlic and Kale Soup

You wouldn't know it by the name, but this is one of my favorite recipes I have made in the past year! I think Rachael Ray would call this a "stoup" because it's nice and think, but I found this recipe for Garlic and Kale Soup in the February, 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. It's perfect for a healthy and filling winter meal.

I was drawn to this recipe for two reasons: kale and wheat berries. In fact, I had never heard of "wheat berries" before... Wheat of course, but I was intrigued about the berry part. Ends up it just a raw form of wheat similar to barley. As for the kale, I know it is super healthy for you so I like to find ways to incorporate into the food I eat. And soup is perfect!

This soup is special because it's chewy. Now chewy isn't a term that I normally associate with soup, but I really like the texture of the ingredients. The wheat berries and kale both keep a firmness, almost al dente. Also, the light vinegar give the flavors an interesting tang, making it even more unique. The flavors are much more complex than one would expect.

So if you are looking for a simple, healthy soup to try out, I highly recommend this one. Don't let the ingredients scare you off.

Garlic and Kale Soup Serves 6 ½ cup wheat berries 2 Tbsp. olive oil 3.5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (1 cup) 10 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced ¼ cup brown rice vinegar 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 bunch kale (10 oz.), stemmed and coarsely chopped

Soak wheat berries in large bowl of cold water overnight.

Heat oil in 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Saute mushrooms 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add garlic, and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in vinegar; simmer until vinegar is almost evaporated, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan.

Drain wheat berries, and add to mushroom mixture with vegetable mixture and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add kale, and cook 10 to 20 minutes more, or until kale is tender. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.