This yummy soup brings back fond memories of spending Christmas with my sister, Tomi and her family in Washington DC. We had an unseasonably warm Christmas one year. All the kids and parents went to the park and played flag football and then came home to a warm bowl of Tomi’s minstra. Recently, my daughter, Dani texted me while studying abroad in New Zealand, to request “Auntie Tomi’s delicious bean soup”. This recipe is a favorite that’s easy enough for a college student to prepare and nutritious too.
Bean and Kale Minestra
Serves 6 to 8
½ pound kale (about 4 cups, chopped—we used lacinato)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
olive oil to coat the bottom of your soup pot
6 cups cooked (2 cups dry) cannellini (white kidney beans—we used navy beans)
4 to 5 cups bean water, vegetable or chicken stock or water
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
6 fresh sage leaves (½ tsp if dry)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
freshly ground pepper
½ cup finely ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Don't Forget the Secret Ingredient 
