Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

So, as you may have noticed, I've been on an unannounced blogging hiatus for the past three weeks.  Sorry...   I just got so distracted, with Christmas, family time, New Years, coming back to school, discovering hp fanfic....  Whoa, what??

Anyways, as it is past the holidays anyways, I will save those recipes for later on in this month, or maybe even next month.  In the meantime, I would like to announce Soup week, as I have been eating soup almost continuously for the past two weeks.  Also, it's healthy, fast, and warm.  Mmmmm.

So, I don't have any pictures of this first recipe I'm going to show you.  Please just trust me that it's delicious.  It has a rather rustic/sophisticated look to it, and strangely enough, that doesn't seem like an oxymoron when you see it.  This soup is amazingly delicious, and I would highly encourage you to go make it... right now!  I'm just going to go thaw the leftovers from the freezer...

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup
From joythebaker (aka Joy the soup-maker)

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced or shredded (I keep mine shredded in the freezer for convenience)
3/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3/4 lb. (1 large bunch +) kale, tough stems removed and chopped (1-2 inch squares worked)
1 1/2 lb. (2 medium) yams, peeled and diced to 3/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) chicken broth
1+ tsp. broth
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup rice (uncooked) + 1/2 tsp. salt + 2 cups water

Start by combining your rice, water, and salt (from the bottom row of ingredients) in a small pot.  Cover and set on very low heat.  Check after twenty minutes; if there are dimples on top and the rice is the correct texture when you bite into it, remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup pan over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent, ~5 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and crushed red pepper.  Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add sweet potato chunks and stir; add broth and bring to a simmer.  Add kale (it will seem like a lot), and submerge it.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour in coconut milk and reheat (don't let it boil!).  Add rice and stir.  Enjoy!