A savory, creamy broth soup that is simple to make but full of rich flavor. Serve with whole-wheat crusty bread.

• 1 tablespoon oil or ¼ cup vegetable broth, for sautéing
•  1 medium onion, finely diced
•  1 medium carrot, peeled, diced
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
•  ¼ teaspoon celery salt or seeds
•  2 garlic cloves, minced
•  1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire
•  ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• (15 oz) can of white beans (cannellini or navy), drained
•  6 cups water or vegetable broth  
•  1 bay leaf
•  1-2 cups kale, ribs removed, chopped

Heat oil (or vegetable broth) in large soup pot. Add onions and carrots. Cook until vegetables are just tender. Add garlic, celery salt or seeds, salt, thyme, Worcestershire and red pepper flakes. Cook for one minute.  0Add water or vegetable broth, beans and bay leaf to pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Puree soup in a blender or food processor or use an immersion blender in the soup pot. Bring soup back to simmer then add kale and ground pepper. Cook until kale is tender (about 10 minutes). Taste to adjust seasonings. Add Homemade Croutons (page 270), fried shallot, or fried garlic slivers to the top for a bit of flair.

Hint:

Kale is an excellent source of calcium and vitamins A, C, and K.