White Bean and Greens Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found in Cooking Light. It was really tasty! Collard greens are my new favorite dark, leafy green. I really like their texture in the soup. This soup could definitely be made with a can or two of beans instead of using dried beans (which would also make it a super fast meal.) I served it with goat cheese spread on a crusty french bread.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup pinot grigio or other light white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups finely shredded collard greens
• 2 cups finely shredded red swiss chard
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 cup dried Great Northern beans ( not sure exactly how much I had but was somewhere between 1 and 2 cups)

Prepare the dried beans:

Put beans in a medium sized pot filled with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil for 2 minutes then turn the heat off, cover the pot and allow them to remain in the water for 1 hour. Rinse and drain beans. Put back in pot with new water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so, until tender.

Soup:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add wine, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add greens, thyme, and broth. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until greens are tender. Add beans and serve.