Brown Rice and Lentil Soup

Today I got my second weekly box from Farm Fresh To You.  (Got my first last Thursday and everything's gone.  ;-))  So far I'm loving my organic CSA deliveries (right to my door!).  The produce is so incredibly fresh and yummy-tasting. 

I consider myself pretty versed in produce, but there was something in the box today that I'd never seen before.  It's a substitution (I was supposed to get collards but I specified I don't want collards), and there was no label or indication of what it is.



So I consulted Google and found out it's a type of kale called Dinosaur (or Tuscan, Lacinato, Black, Cavolo Nero) Kale.  It's dark green like the regular kale I use to make kale chips with, but the leaves are narrower and much thicker, almost rubbery-like.  Very interesting, I think I'll use it to make soup.

Brown Rice and Lentil Soup
Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 box (4 cups) chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice, rinsed
• 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• Vietnamese fish sauce (or salt & pepper)
• a big bunch (approx 3 cups) kale, rinsed and chopped (or spinach, or chard)

Directions:

• In a large pot, brown the turkey with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Add carrots, celery, onion, cumin and thyme.  Sautee about 5 minutes until fragrant.
• Add chicken broth, water, rice and lentils.  Season to taste.
• Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and lentils are soft, 45 minutes - 1 hour.
• Stir in kale and cook a few minutes until wilted.