Yes, we really like soup!

Yesterday I saw such a nice looking bunch of escarole at the grocery store that I was more than tempted to buy it. Needless to say it ended up being part of our lunch today!
As times goes by and I post more you will see how much I like my vegetables and fruits! I like all kinds of veggies and greens, and am still to meet a fruit I don’t like. Seriously, I love all fruits!
Escarole can be bitter, but if you cook it enough all the bitterness seem to “evaporate” leaving behind a nice flavor and bite to the greens.
Today I made Escarole and White Bean soup. So healthy and so good! I like beans, especially the white ones, they are buttery and tender, and such a good compliment to soups and stews. I am going to post the recipe I based my soup on, it is from Bon Appetite, and other than not adding tomatoes to my soup I basically followed the recipe (although I chopped my garlic and left in the soup… Yes, garlic lover here!).
I made half of the recipe for me and Matheus, and believe it or not, there were no leftovers…!
We had our soup with some rolls I made and froze last week. The rolls are a Cooking Light recipe and called Cloverleaf Honey-Wheat Rolls, they are so easy to make and freeze beautifully. I have made it many times and they always come out great!
Simple, light and delicious… no wonder I love soup so much!
(oh, and the escarole in the picture is half of the bunch I bought... so escarole will probably show up again in the menu later this week!)

Ana

White Bean and Escarole Soup with Garlic
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 large carrot, cut into small dice
5 large garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
3 cups (packed) 1-inch pieces escarole (about 1/2 large head)
4 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
3 1/4 cups cooked Great Northern beans or two 15-ounce cans cannellini (white
kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Discard garlic. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Serves 4
Bon Appétit - March 1996