Farmers' Market Soup

I have an obsession with the farmers' market. I have also recently started experimenting big time with all sorts of fruits and veggies I used to avoid like the black plague (read: kale? collard greens? rhubarb?!).

I've got to admit, I think I keep experimenting because it feels really good to pick out some random produce item that I have no idea how to use and then find ways to turn it into something delicious! So far everything I've experimented with has turned out to be really yummy...and when in doubt just add bacon.

Bacon can turn brussel sprouts into something edible! :)

It's time I confess though.

I've been going a bit overboard during this new full-blown produce shopping spree.
You can't open the door to our fridge without a bunch of mustard greens or bag full of fresh mint falling on the floor.
I mean seriously I needed a solution to this problem fast.

That's when I decided to take everything I needed to use up and put it in a pot.

Ta-da! Let me introduce you to Farmers' Market Soup. You can honestly use whatever you've got in your fridge or pantry. Here's how I made mine work.

Farmers' Market Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T olive oil

1 bay leaf

5 stalks celery, chopped

5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (approx)

1 can cannelloni beans (or whatever you have in the cupboard)

1 bunch collard greens

ripe tomatoes sliced in half (just use the ripest tomatoes you can find)

fresh or dried, rosemary, oregano, sage (chopped if fresh)

salt and pepper
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions:

1. Heat up the olive oil in your pot and then saute the garlic and onion until soft and tender. About 5 minutes.

2. Add the broth, bay leaf, and herbs. With the herbs just add them to your taste preference. I probably added a 1/3 C of finely chopped fresh herbs. Then let your broth come to a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or so.

3. Add your hard veggies...in my case those included: sweet potatoes, celery, carrots. You could also add or substitute zucchini, summer squash, red-skin potatoes, yams, etc. Just use what you've got! Simmer for 15-20 minutes or so.

4. When the potatoes are still a bit too hard to consider the soup done, add your tomatoes, beans, and collard greens. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes. The skin will likely fall off the tomatoes and your collard greens will wilt a bit (both good things!).

5. Taste the soup/try the veggies...if everything is to your liking, discard the bay leaf and serve the soup with a couple pieces of delicious fresh bread (toasted!).

This soup was seriously one of the easiest and most delicious meals I've made in weeks. Change the recipe/adapt it to your liking...but my one must do recommendation is to keep the sweet potatoes in. They really added something unique to this soup...just a hint of sweet flavor combined with all the fresh herbs and vegetables.

I hope you get adventurous and try this out!