Adzuki Bean Stew with Winter Squash and Kale is perfect for all those cold winter days when you just want to stay inside and sip on something warm (not to mention delicious) with a blanket and a good book. This soup is one of my favorites! With so many different types of vegetables and spices, you get tons of health benefits all in one cup of soup. For example, paprika is full of vitamin A in the form of carotenoids, and carotenoids, with anitoxidants, are great for your skin, repairing cellular damage, and helping eyesight, among other benefits for your health. Paprika also has vitamin  B-6 (helps with reactions in the body and may lower chance of cardiovascular disease), iron, capsaicin (lowers blood pressure), and vitamin E (another protective antioxidant). And all that nutrition is in paprika alone; all the other spices and vegetables have many other nutritional benefits too. Well, enough said. Full of nutrients and tasty (my brother’s favorite word to describe food), this soup is perfect for any meal!

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Adzuki Bean Stew with Winter Squash and Kale
 

Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried adzuki beans, boiled until tender but not mushy
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 pound cubed winter squash , peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
  • 1 large bell pepper, diced
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 bunch kale (about 12 ounces), removed from stems and sliced

Instructions
  1. Boil the beans until tender (about ½ hour) and then drain
  2. Heat a large cooking pot and add butter then add the onions. Cook until onion is soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Add the beans, water, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and dried basil to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until beans are just barely cooked all the way through, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Check pot occasionally and add more water to cover the beans if it seems low.
  4. Add the squash along with the remaining seasonings, peppers, tomatoes, and salt, if using. Add more water if necessary to cover all ingredients. Cover and simmer until beans and squash are tender.
  5. Check the seasoning and add more cumin, oregano, or salt to taste. Add the kale and corn and simmer, covered, until the kale is tender. Stir in the basil and cook for another minute before serving.