It’s impossible to say words such as quinoa without sounding like a pretentious schmuck. Unless you pronounce it incorrectly. Then you sound like an idiot. Over the last several months, I have taken on the role of a gastronaut as my mother’s personal nutritionist and diction coach. Not only had she never heard of foods like edamame, acai, kimchi, or tempeh, but with her Southern dialect, she is having trouble saying them, too. We have had so many laughs over the pronunciation (or mispronunciation) of these words. Quinoa (Ken-Wan), Edamame (Ed-Mom-A-Nay), and Avocado (Odd-Vo-Cava) have all proven to be hilariously difficult. I spent an hour explaining that a superfood and supersized does not mean the same thing. Before COVID, the closest my mother ever came to kale was seeing it advertised as a new salad while in line at a Chick-fil-A drive-through. It appears that like all hipsters, they are both a little late to the party.
Mom has allowed me to take her on a food journey, and it’s been amazing to witness the evolution of her palette. She is someone that's eager to learn, to see—and yes—even to do. But no matter how good a food is for her; she’s not going to include it in her diet unless it passes the taste test. And this Quinoa, Kale, White Bean soup does. It is a healthier option of a vegetable soup while losing none of its comfortability. While I don’t think I can convince her to wear skinny jeans, drink craft beer or order a poke bowl off a food truck, I do think I am getting her closer to embracing new food trends. I don’t care if she ever becomes hip, but I do care if she breaks one. So for now, the lessons continue. Tomorrow’s topic? Tabbouleh and Baba Ghanoush. Oh, I can just hear her now!
Kale, Quinoa and White Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
¾ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed thoroughly
2 (14.5 ounces) cans petite diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounces) can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon dried oregano, basil, rosemary, dried thyme (each)
2 bay leaves
4-6 cups chicken stock
1 bunch kale, chopped (remove stems)
Salt and pepper to taste
Several shakes of hot sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese for top
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large pot or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in garlic and herbs and cook another 2 minutes or until frangrant. Add in the quinoa, beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Add in kale and keep on low heat, stirring occasionally, until kale wilts (baby kale will wilt faster than a typical bunch of kale). Season to taste.
