Thankful for palatable ways to eat vegetables

Recently I owned the fact that I am not a lover of vegetables.

Which isn't strictly true, because I like nearly all vegetables if they are prepared in the right form.  Mostly, carrots don't thrill me.  Cooked celery is pretty repugnant, too, although it imparts a pleasant flavor, as long people aren't expected to chew the limp, stringy stalks.  Some vegetables are best cooked down until they are very soft, and then pureed into soup stock.

Soup is a good way to make vegetables palatable.  Recently, I developed a new soup recipe, and I want to save it for posterity because it is really easy.  Easy and tasty and full of vegetables--that's a winner.  Four vegetables, four seasonings (besides salt and pepper).

I tried taking a picture of it, but it was not photogenic.  Here is a truth that people often overlook in these days of Pinterest images: the prettiest foods are not always the best tasting.  Sometimes the food you view in mouthwatering photographs is well nigh inedible in real life.  People totally forget this.  And the converse is also true: unphotogenic food can be delicious.

This soup is delicious and not particularly photogenic, so I think it is best served by a photo which shows that it was happily consumed, right down to the dregs.

Easy Italian Vegetable Soup

ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Italian sausage (Sweet or hot, but NOT Jimmy Dean!!  Leave it out before you use breakfast sausage.  "Sausage" is optional.  Italian is not.)
• chopped kale (you decide how much; 2-3 cups?  4?)
• thin sliced carrots (Use your food processor slicing blade--again you decide how many carrots, 2-3 largish ones?  Carrots are not my favorite; I try not to get too many.)
• zucchini (probably 2--cut in quarters the long way, then slice about 1/2 inch thick)
• chopped peppers, 1 green + 1 red or yellow or orange, or 2 green, or 2 red; whatever
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oregano
• 3 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1--24 oz. jar marinara sauce (or any red sauce you like)
• 1 quart chicken broth
• crushed red pepper flakes

note: obviously you can use real onion and garlic instead of powdered, if you wish.  This is just to keep the recipe easy--in case you are already down with a cold--and to accommodate those who are bothered by onion.  Use a few cloves of fresh garlic if you feel so led.  If you're going for something medicinal, fresh garlic is your best friend.

method:

Brown and crumble the sausage in a large pot.  Drain most of the fat, but leave a residue.  Add kale, carrots, zucchini and peppers and saute with sausage in the remaining fat until they are warmed through and beginning to tender.  Add seasonings and toss to coat.  Add marinara sauce and chicken broth.  Add crushed red pepper to taste, up to a teaspoon, or more if you are a lover of heat.  (If you are fighting a respiratory ailment, spicy broth is great for your sinuses.)  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 45 minutes or so.  Serve anytime after the simmer period, although it will be exponentially better reheated the second day.

note:  If you decide to make this without sausage, just begin by sauteing the vegetables in olive oil.  You might also like to add pre-cooked (aka "canned") cannellini or black beans.

This is nice topped with grated parmesan cheese.

I'm thankful for an easy way to make vegetables taste nice, and an easy way to make soup!




a note on kale:  I do not believe in kale smoothies (if you want greens in your smoothie, use baby spinach).  Kale is an example of how vegetables can be tasty in certain applications and not in others.  I think kale is particularly pleasant in Italian food.  It's a nice substitute for meat in meat sauce, and it is nice in this soup.