Healthy Green Soup with Lemon and Cayenne Recipe

Remove the ribs from the kale and discard or save them for another recipe. Coarsely chop or tear the kale leaves.

Trim any tough stems from the spinach or baby greens and roughly chop the leaves.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the onions begin to brown.

Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons of water, and cover the skillet. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color.

Stir frequently while the pan is still hot and occasionally once the pan has cooled down.

While the onions are cooking, combine the remaining 3 cups of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add rice and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens or kale. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes.

When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them. Then add the onion mixture to the rice along with the spinach, vegetable broth, and cayenne.

Return to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring once, for about 5 minutes until the spinach is tender but still bright green.

Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth, or in a regular blender in batches.

Stir in lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, sea salt, or cayenne pepper, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

Divide the soup into bowls if serving it as a bisque, or serve in bowls over cooked rice and chickpeas for a more complete meal.

Garnish soup with a swirl of olive oil if desired, then serve with lemon wedges and freshly ground black pepper on the side.