Contributed by (Recipe adapted from “Just Great Recipes” at www.justgreatrecipes.com)

Ingredients

3 medium Carrots, quartered lengthwise
2 large Tomatoes, quartered
1 large Onion, cut into 8 wedges or 4 or 5 slices
1/2 small Butternut squash (or another squash that you have), peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick wedges
6 Garlic cloves
1 Tbs Olive oil
6 C Vegetable broth
4 C of finely chopped Kale
3 large fresh Thyme sprigs (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
1 Bay leaf
1 15 oz can of Navy or Kidney beans, drained

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash, and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces, set aside. Peel garlic cloves, place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion, puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beans, carrots, and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

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