White Bean and Kale Soup

This is a fantastic recipe we made last night with friends courtesy of Monkey and Kitten. I highly recommend it.

White Bean and Kale Soup

about 1 lb kale, swiss chard, or the like
1.5 Tbs olive oil
1.5 Tbs garlic, minced
2 medium carrots
1 quart chicken broth
2 cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. rinse kale, remove from stems, and chop leaves into manageably
edible pieces (about 1 inch or so); slice stems thinly crosswise

2. heat oil over medium heat in a 4-5 quart pan; add chard stems,
garlic and carrots, stirring often until carrots become tender

3. add kale leaves, broth, and 3.25 cups water. Bring to a simmer,
cook, stirring occasionally until kale is tender to bite (about 10
minutes)

4. add beans and stir occasionally until they're hot; add parmesan and
salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve!

adapted (and improved upon!) from a recipe in Delicious Living magazine.