Thursday, November 21, 2013

Cauliflower & Potato Soup with Kale Crumbles


On October 30,  I posted the recipe for Cauliflower Soup with Kale Crumbles, and I promised the next post would be for another version of it that added potatoes.  Well, here it is.  Potatoes are one of my favorite foods,  but they often have an undeserved bad nutritional reputation.   They are easy to digest, which make them a winner with me, but they are also extremely nutritional.  They contain complex carbohydrates along with proteins, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and iron.  Pzazz for sure!  When I made the soup this time, I used Pacific low-sodium vegetable broth, which substantially reduced the amount of sodium in the soup and I thought the flavor was improved.  Pzazz again!

Ingredients:
    1 Tablespoon coconut oil
    1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
    1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
    4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 
    About 1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
      2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (about 1/2" cubes)


    Preparation:
Melt oil in a deep soup pot. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent. Meanwhile, cut cauliflower florets into smaller pieces. When the onions are translucent, add the cauliflower florets, the chicken broth, the potatoes and the seasoning. Cover and simmer on low until the cauliflower pieces and potatoes are very tender.  Puree with an immersion stick or other device of your choice.  Garnish with kale crumbles, or you could add them prior to pureeing.   

To make the kale crumbles, simply chop a bunch of kale into bite sized pieces.  Use whatever variety of kale you prefer.  I like the Lacinato Kale best.(Lacinato kale is also known as Dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, or black kale.) Then put them into a bowl and spray with olive oil cooking spray and season with just a dash of salt and pepper.  Stir to distribute the olive oil spray and then spread them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.  Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 8 - 10 minutes, until crispy.  Crumble into the soup.
  


Nutrition per serving:   (includes kale crumbles)                                       
Servings per recipe: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 138
Total Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 249 mg 
Total Carbs: 28 g 
Dietary Fiber: 8 g
Protein: 6 g