Kale & Chickpeas Sprout Soup

Different stages of Chickpeas Sprouts
Can be eaten at any stage

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Recently, Karen of Back Road Journal posted “Caldo Verde, A Portuguese Kale Soup”. I had all the ingredients (kale and broth in my freezer, onion and garlic in the basement and remaining ingredients in the pantry) except the sausage and planned to get some when next I go to the food market.

While thinking what else I could do with the chickpeas sprouts came up with the idea to use it as a substitute for the sausage and make a vegetarian version. Also decided to leave out the potatoes.

Below is my modified version. Click here for Karen’s original version and while there, stay a while and peruse Karen’s other recipes and posts, you are in for a real treat and will be amazed at her photos.

Kale & Chickpeas Sprouts Soup

Adapted from Caldo Verde, A Portuguese Kale Soup by Karen (Back Road Journal)

Ingredients
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups broth (see NOTE)
• ¾ teaspoon salt (may not be needed)
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cups finely chopped kale (thick stems removed) (see NOTE)
• 1 cup chickpeas sprouts, cooked or uncooked

Preparations
1. In a large pot heat oil over medium heat, add onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add broth, seasoning, kale and chickpeas sprouts. Cook until kale is tender, about 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to over cook the kale to retain its bright green color. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

NOTE:
Karen’s original recipe calls for 2 cups broth and 2 cups water, since I am not adding any meat, decided, for a more flavorful soup, to use 4 cups of broth.

I used frozen lacinato kale from my freezer. During the growing season I freeze the extras from my garden bounty.

When making broth, I always make extra for the freezer. Freeze some in ice cube trays, some in muffin tins and some in quart-size containers. This gives me the flexibility of taking only what I need from the freezer.

To prevent the broth from tasting like the freezer, once frozen, I remove the cubes/blocks from the ice cubes trays and muffin tins, place them in freezer bags, date, label and return to the freezer.

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