White Bean Fennel Kale Soup (Alkaline, GF, Vegan)

Serves 5
 
1 large onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil (optional)
4 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
1 (15 oz can) great northern beans, rinsed well
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 bay leaf
sea salt, to taste
3 cups shredded kale

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute onion, fennel and garlic until tender (add oil if you want). Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, thyme, pepper and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 min then add kale; cook 5 minutes longer or until kale is wilted. 

Dry beans option:

If you want to use dry beans; soak 1 cup beans in water for 12+ hrs, then boil the beans in broth for 40 min. While beans are cooking, saute the onion, fennel and garlic. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the beans (except kale) along with another 1 1/2 cups of water and cook for 5 min. Rinse kale and tear into pieces/shreds, then saute in the pan that the onions/fennel/garlic were cooked in (w/out cleaning the pan out) until kale is wilted. Add kale to the rest of the soup, adjust salt & pepper to taste, then serve.