Recipe: Hearty bean and kale soup, served with Parmesan-sesame and poppy seed crisps

Hearty bean and kale soup, served with Parmesan-sesame and poppy seed crisps

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 3 hours 30 minutes plus 8 hours soaking * Vegetarian

1/2 pound dried Great Northern beans

Water

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 small carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 small bunch kale, shredded (about 4 cups)

1 boiling potato, diced

1 small bunch Swiss chard, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 large tomato, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

* Place beans in large saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain beans well and return to saucepan. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 1 hour 30 minutes, reserving liquid. Transfer half beans to food processor or blender and puree. Reserve remaining whole beans.

* Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and saute 5 minutes. Stir in kale, potato, pureed beans and enough reserved bean cooking liquid and water to make 6 cups. Heat over medium heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes.

* Add chard, tomato, garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until chard is tender and flavors are well blended, at least 1 hour, adding additional bean liquid if soup is too thick. (Soup should be quite thick.)

* Stir in reserved whole beans and simmer until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. (Can be cooled and refrigerated overnight.)

* Ladle into heated soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Pass olive oil to top soup with, if desired.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings: 203 calories; 251 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 2.40 grams fiber.

Parmesan-Sesame and Poppy Seed Crisps

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

3 teaspoons poppy seeds

Butter, for greasing

* Mix together Parmesan, sesame seeds and poppy seeds in small bowl. (If Parmesan is lumpy, press through a strainer first.)

* Place 3-inch metal ring-mold on greased nonstick baking sheet. Spoon 2 teaspoons Parmesan mixture in center. Use your fingertips to spread cheese evenly on bottom of ring-mold. Remove ring-mold and repeat until baking sheet is filled.

* Bake at 375 degrees until crisps are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Use small metal spatula to transfer to paper towels. Crisps will still be soft when removed, but will crisp up as they cool.

12 crisps. Each crisp: 36 calories; 76 mg sodium; 3 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.16 gram fiber.