Pumpkin and Potato Soup with Kale Recipe

This healthy and hearty vegetable soup is easy to make and full of flavor. The pumpkin works as a thickener while the kale adds color and fiber.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp miso paste (a flavorful soy product, can be found in Japanese and health food stores)
3 quarts water
1 pound organic new potatoes
1 small organic pumpkin, about 1-3/4 pounds, to yield 1 pound when peeled and cubed
1/2 bunch kale, leaves only, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp minced parsley
Red wine vinegar to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Hot ground pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese to pass at the table

Heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Add the onion, reduce the heat to moderate, and cook until the onion is just wilted. Add the garlic and miso; stir until the miso dissolves and colors the onion and garlic.
Add the water. With the pot covered, bring liquid to just below the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Peel and cut the pumpkin into 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potato has cooked. The pumpkin will break up and thicken the soup.
Just before serving, add the kale, the parsley, and the seasonings. Cook just long enough to wilt the kale, less than 1 minute. Pass the cheese at the table.
Note: If you plan to serve the soup over several days, just add a little kale with each reheating.