Sausage and Kale Soup

I recently picked up a bunch of kale at the store. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do with it, but I was confident I could figure something out. After coming home and perusing the web for a few minutes, this is what I ended up making.

This soup warms you through and through and is quite tasty. If you can't find kale at your store, toss in some fresh spinach instead.

The original recipe doesn't call for any grain or pasta, but I had some leftover brown rice on hand, so I tossed it into the soup.

Sausage and Kale Soup 
Source: Slightly adapted from Budget Bytes 

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 large carrots, cleaned and chopped
3 stalks celery, cleaned and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale
1 (15 oz.) can white beans
4 cups MSPI-friendly chicken broth
2 cups water
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cumin
Pinch crushed red pepper, optional
1-2 cups cooked brown rice or small pasta, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage. Break up the sausage into pieces and cook until no pink remains. When the sausage is fully cooked, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft.

While the vegetables are softening, pull the kale leaves from the stems and tear into small pieces. Place the torn kale leaves in a colander and rinse well. Once the onions in the pot have softened (the other veggies may not be soft, that's okay), add the kale. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted.

Drain the can of beans and add them to the pot. Also add the chicken broth, water and spices. Stir to combine and heat through (about 10-15 minutes). If using the rice, add it now. Adjust the salt and other seasonings, to taste.