#HealthyEating: Ribollita

Kristin Brewer DeBoard, Williamson Farmers Market Marketing Manager, is always promoting healthy eating. Thanks to her job with the Williamson Farmers Market, she knows all about the best healthy produce, and she loves to find delicious healthy recipes that put the spotlight on veggies! This month, she’s shared a delicious Ribollita recipe from sipandfeast.com

Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan bean stew featuring a variety of veggies. This stew features cannellini beans, tuscan kale, carrots, celery, onions, and a surprise ingredient: day old bread! It also features zucchini, fresh parsley, olive oil, and tomato paste.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Tuscan kale stems removed, chopped

• 2 cups onion diced

• 1 cup celery diced

• 1 cup carrot diced

• 1 cup zucchini diced

• 6 cloves garlic minced

• 2 16 ounce can cannellini beans drained

• 6 cups low sodium chicken stock

• ¼ pound pancetta diced

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 ounces tomato paste

• 1 loaf day old bread

• 1 rind Parmigiano Reggiano

• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 large rosemary sprig

• ¼ cup parsley minced

Instructions:

1. Remove kale stems and lightly chop the leaves. Mince garlic and chop onion, celery, carrot, and zucchini into bite-size pieces. Chop parsley.

2. Sauté pancetta in ¼ cup of olive oil. Add garlic. Add diced veggies, but not kale. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft.

3. Add tomato paste, cook for 3 minutes, and add kale. Add stock, beans, rind, red pepper flakes, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then lower. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

4. Add salt and pepper as needed. Add parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Ladle soup over day old bread in bowls.

This hearty soup is a great way to bring veggies and plants to the table, and it easily adjusts for any vegetarian who wants to try it!

FYI: The Williamson Farmers Market opens on June 4th!