29. May 2014

Warming Kale Chickpea Bean Stew

Kale_Stew_2As days are getting warmer over here in Europe and summer is slowly arriving, I do feel weird sharing this recipe. It’s way back from winter, when kale was in season and there was nothing nicer than coming home to a warm bowl of vegetable stew. However, one good thing about globalized social media: there is always someone out there (hopefully reading this) who’s in the midst of winter.

Kale and sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. They have been so integrated in my daily cooking, it’s crazy to remember that up to only one year ago I have never eaten them before! Kale is just…the bomb. It’s filled with so many nutrients, I wouldn’t be surprised if only smelling it makes you healthy. It’s filled with calcium, vitamin A, C and K, contains lots of antioxidants which lower your chance of cancer, it works anti-inflammatory and much much more. The usage of kale in the kitchen is extremely diverse. You can cook it in your stews and soups, sautéed it, eat it raw in salads, blend it in your smoothies or make crunchy kale chips for snacking. You see – no way around kale.

With this soup I wanted to create a little get-together. A “everyday vegetables – meet chickpeas, beans and sweet potato” party. The choice of vegetables may seem plain, but spicing it up with legumes and sweet potato creates a nutritious balanced and very delicious stew dish.

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Warming Kale Chickpea Bean Stew Recipe

  • Prep Time: 25
  • Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ carrots
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • ½ sweet bell pepper
  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 2 handful of kale
  • 1 onion
  • 1 glove of garlic
  • 2 cans tomatoes (chopped - 400g)
  • 1 can white beans (cooked - 240g)
  • 1 can chickpeas (cooked - 240g)
  • 1 glass of water
  • a bit of olive oil
  • herbs: thyme, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper and fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Chop the carrots, celery, bell pepper, sweet potato, onion and garlic.
  2. In a big pot gently roast the onion in olive oil until glassy and add the garlic. Now slowly add the chopped tomatoes, stir, and add the vegetables and one glass of water. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Meanwhile wash the kale and divide the leaves of their stalk. Add the kale leaves to the pod and let it all simmer for another 5 minutes.
  4. Refine it with herbs and spices. (If you can spare more time, you can leave it on the stove for longer, turning the heat down and letting it simmer for longer to let the flavours develop.)

Welcome to my kitchen, my colourful world of nourishing foods. Here I choose to live healthy, eating whole, plant-based foods; a happy mix of vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

I am Pauline, a food lover and photographer from Berlin.

My recipes are simple, vegetarian dishes with plant-based and natural ingredients only. Perfect for everyday life. You do not have to be a skilled cook to have a balanced and healthy diet – I am not! An open mind and willingness to try out something new everyday shall be enough. It’s an infinite journey, and I am happy about everyone who decides to come along.

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