Weeknight Dinners: Kale Soup

C – Cooking dinner every night is harder than I thought it was going to be.

I just got married. I romanticized about coming home and cooking for my husband every night. That dream quickly went away. After a long 13-hour day, I really don’t want to slave over a stove. It’s a lot of hard work. I am usually too hangry (hungry + angry) by the time I get home to even think about cooking.

We resorted to going to eat out. If you know me, you know how much I hate eating out … especially on a weeknight.

So what do I do? Plan everything on Saturday and Sunday, mainly Sunday. Sundays are a catch all for me. Finish work that I didn’t get to finish. Go to the Farmer’s Market, Cook a few meals and clean the house. It’s a busy day. But, it works out well for getting my week started off right. My stove is usually filled with pots and pans on all the burners. My little toaster oven gets at least a few hours of use. The sink is quite full. All worth the effort.

Of course, my husband gets dish-washing duty. Occasionally, he will even help cook a few things.

I try to make enough food for Sunday’s lunch and dinner, but also make enough for us to have leftovers. Luckily, it’s just the two of us. Making four servings turns out quite well for leftovers. I also try to make things that don’t require a lot of clean up on a weeknight. It’s one thing to have to cook but also have to clean up after dinner it another thing. It’s more like an impossible thing.

This kale soup is easy to prep on the weekend and also quick to heat up and eat. One thing I like about this soup is that you make the base of the soup and add the kale in when you are ready to serve. It makes the vegetables really fresh and still delicious.

Weeknight Dinners: Kale Soup

Recipe type: Mains

Author: Christina

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 5 dried Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated
• ¼ pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ½ red onion, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 kale leaves, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
• 2 sprigs green onions, chopped
• 8 sprigs cilantro, chopped leaves and stems
• 1 lime cut in half, then quartered
• Sriracha sauce to taste
• Soy sauce if needed

Instructions

1. Place garlic and chicken stock into a stock pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add chicken and Shiitake mushrooms. Let cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Lower heat to low to keep warm.
3. Remove chicken and mushrooms. Place in a bowl to let cool. Once able to handle shred chicken and cut the mushrooms into slices.
4. Turn heat back up to medium high. Place cooked chicken and all of the mushrooms into pot. Bring to a boil.
5. Add onion, salt and pepper to taste.
6. If you are making this ahead of time for a weeknight dinner, stop here and store in 4 cup mason jars, let cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to reheat. Reheat by bringing it back to a boil.
7. If you are ready to serve, bring to a boil and add kale.
8. Ladle into bowls. Top with Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, green onions, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and freshly ground pepper.
9. Serve with rice or noodles.
10. Enjoy!

3.1.08

You don’t overcook the kale. No one likes mushy leftovers. I also add some fresh cilantro and green onions right before serving. We have a delicious and really healthy dinner. It’s great.

Monday’s dinner. Easy and done!