For us, the start of October brings the “soup-y” time of the year. And here’s a soup that we make over and over again – because it highlights a powerfood—KALE! Not only full of nutrition – it also tastes so good that the whole family will love it on these cool fall evenings. Kale is a cancer fighting powerfood because of all the phytochemicals within it. Yup – forty five, 45! Different types of plant compounds are in the tasty green. It also has fiber, vitamins, and minerals that give your energy throughout the day. Our spice of the week is fennel because the crunchy and slightly sweet herb adds a refreshing contribution to Mediterranean dishes like this soup. The fennel bulb is an excellent source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is the body’s primary water-soluble antioxidant, able to neutralize free radicals. Fennel also has fiber, folate, and potassium.

2 TB Olive Oil

1 Cup Chopped Onion

1 Cup Chopped Red Pepper

1 Cup Chopped Fennel

1 Cup Chopped Carrot

2 TB Italian Seasoning

1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 Bunch Kale, thinly sliced

2 Garlic Cloves, Grated

4 Cups Veg Broth

1 Can (15 OZ) Chopped Tomatoes, undrained

1 Can (15 OZ) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 Tsp each Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Garnish

½ Cup Shredded Parmesan and Basil for Garnish

In a large dutch oven, sauté the onions, pepper, fennel, carrots, seasoning and red pepper flakes together, until the onion is tender and golden. Reduce the heat to medium and add the kale and garlic; cover and cook and stir for another couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning and serve, garnished with the Parmesan and basil.