Kale, Farro & Kidney Bean Soup
California weather has been really warm recently, even during Autumn (god damn climate change). But this warm weather doesn't stop me from making this amazingly simple soup, even though it will make me sweat throughout the entire meal, haha. This super easy and wholesome recipe makes a perfect addition to a healthy meal repertoire.
Kale
What makes this recipe wholesome is the use of healthy, low fat and high vitamin and mineral ingredients. Things like kale have been praised as superfoods for reasons like having more iron per ounce than meat, having a long list of amino acids, having omega 3 and omega 6, and being super high in certain vitamins and minerals like manganese, vitamin K, A and C.
Farro & Kidney Beans
Both farro and beans are high in proteins which are made up of amino acids. Humans need to consume nine amino acids which are referred to as Essential Amino Acids or complete proteins. Both amino acids in farro and kidney beans combine to include all nine essential amino acids needed by the human body.
Side Note: Mixing any grain or nut/seed with a legume (bean) will create a complete protein. You also don't need to eat them at the same time for it to work, as long as you eat them in the same day.
Vegetable Stock
I use one vegetable stock and 1 vegetable bouillon cube for about 3.7 litres of water but feel free to use all 3.7 litres of vegetable stock, use three or four bouillon cubes or both.
Low Emissions Diet & Low Plastic
This meal uses ingredient that can be found either without plastic, or in low plastic packaging. If you are working on going completely plastic free, you can always make the veggie stock from your vegetable scraps instead of buying it in a carton box lined with plastic. Not only will you be avoiding the us of plastic packaging and preventing food scraps from ending up in the landfill as quickly but you will be saving money too.
The highest impact one person can have on the environment involves avoiding animal based products. The growth and processing of animals and their byproducts for food use an inordinate amount of natural resources as compared to plant-based foods which create lower amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. You can make an impact three times per day with every meal that you choose to consume. Remember, perfection is not the goal, just do your best. And if you need another reason to avoid little animal friends from ending up dead on your plate, just think of how you will not be contributing to their pain and suffering :).
Serving
Being of Mexican descent, I usually have tortillas at the house, so I serve this with a couple tortillas and a Serrano on the side. You can always skip these ingredients or substitute it for some bread; something like a fresh baguette.
Ingredients:
- 130 grams kale or about 1 bundle; destemmed and chopped
- 146 millilitres vegetable stock (32 oz)
- 2.75 litres of water (divided)
- 130 grams or about 1/2 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon or about 2 large garlic cloves
- 1.5 tablespoon salt
- 420 grams or 4 to 5 tomatoes
- 2 bay leafs
- 1 veggie bouillon cube
- 174 grams or 1 cup kidney beans
- 206 grams or 1 cup farro
- 1 small pack of tortillas
- A few Serrano peppers or however brave you are ;)
Preparation:
Soak beans in water for at least 8 hours
Poor 0.95 liters (32 ounces) vegetable both and 1.9 liters (64 ounces) of water into a large 7.5 liter (8 quarts) pot with the vegetable cube, bay leaves, beans and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn heat down to a simmer until beans are close to being cooked; about 50 minutes.
While the beans cook, blend onion, garlic, and tomatoes with 120 millilitres or one cup of water and a 1/2 tablespoon salt . Put to the side.
Once beans are almost ready (about 50 minutes), pour the blended tomatoes into the pot and allow to boil.
Chop and destem the kale. Once the ingredients in the pot boil again, add farro and kale and allow to cook for 10-25 minutes (depends on the kind of farro you get).
Taste test the beans and farro for doneness and the broth for salt.
Serve with tortillas and Serrano peppers