[Mood Tip: Kale is the most nutrient-packed of all the vegetables. A half cup serving supplies your entire day’s need for beta carotene and ample amounts of other mood-boosting nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and iron. ]
Roast the garlic ahead of time and this soup takes only about half an hour to prepare.
Ingredients:
1 head garlic
1 cup macaroni pasta or any small, tube-shaped pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large leeks
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, diced
8 cups kale, washed and chopped
4 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
7 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon “Better Than Bouillon” Chicken Base (optional)
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cans cannelleni beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
1) Wrap garlic head in tin foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until soft. Remove from oven and cool. Remove cloves from papery shell and set aside.
2) Cook pasta in salted water according to directions on package and cook al dente. Drain and set aside.
3) In a large, nonstick soup pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks, rosemary, and roasted garlic cloves and saute, stirring constantly, until leeks are transparent, approximately 5 minutes. Add kale and sweet potato continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and basil, return to gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potato is soft, but firm, approximately 15 minutes.
4) Add beans and pasta to soup, salt and pepper to taste, and heat through for 5 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 10 servings.
Nutritional Analysis per serving: 217 Calories; 13 percent fat (3.2 grams); < 1 gram saturated fat; 23 percent protein; 64 percent carbohydrate; 9.4 grams fiber.
