Sausage & Kale Soup

I had almost given up on this blog, but now that we've started getting a farm share from a local farm, we have lots of organic veggies that need to be cooked, and preferably cheaply!

This soup is a great way to use up the kale that we've been getting in our farm share. It's good for you, and it's cheap! The kale adds a nice peppery flavor despite looking like seaweed.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 lb spicy sausage (such as chorizo), sliced thinly (about 4 sausages)
6 cups water or vegetable stock
1 bunch kale, shredded with scissors
4 potatoes, sliced thinly
salt & pepper (to taste)
olive oil

1. In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil until lightly browned. Add garlic and saute a minute more. Add potatoes and saute until potatoes are softened. Add water, season with salt & peeper and bring to a boil.

2. In a separate frying pan, cook sausage slices until browned. Drain and set aside.

3. With a masher or immersion blender, smoosh up potatoes in the soup, as desired.

4. Add sausage and let simmer for about 20 minutes more.

5. Just before serving, add kale and let cook for another 5 minutes.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

This is a quick soup recipe that costs pennies per serving and lasts for several meals. It uses canned and frozen foods, and can be adapted for whatever you have sitting around the pantry.

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 beef or chicken bouillon cube
1 can lentils
1 can diced or chopped tomatoes
1 can beans in mild chili sauce
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 liter of boiling water
salt & pepper to taste
cheese for topping
crusty bread

1. Saute garlic in butter.
2. Add bouillon cube to garlic until incorporated.
3. Add 1/2 liter of hot/boiling water, can of lentils, can of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce temperature to a simmer.
4. (optional) use hand mixer to blend soup.
5. Add can of beans, frozen vegetables and remainder of hot water.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add salt & pepper to taste, and more water, if desired.
8. Serve topped with grated cheese, accompanied by a chunk of crusty bread for dipping.