Navy Bean and Kale Soup

Navy Bean and Kale Soup
This one is really good!

Serves: 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups raw kale, chopped (be sure to remove the spiny sections, there won't be many, but those that remain will be tough)
• 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
• 2 - 15 ounce cans cannellini beans or navy beans, undrained, split
• 1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft and the onion is transparent.

Wash the kale, leaving small droplets of water. Saute, stirring, until wilted and a lovely emerald green, about 15 minute.

Add 3 cups of the broth, reserving 1 cup, 2 cups of the beans, reserving 1 cup, all of the tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, mix the reserved beans and broth until smooth. Stir into the soup to thicken it nicely. Simmer 15 more minutes.

Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan. Vegetarian can replace chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 458 Calories; 5g Fat (8.8% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 32g Protein; 76g Carbohydrate; 19g Dietary Fiber; 3mg Cholesterol; 819mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.