An Argument for Eating Soup on Valentine's Day

For those nights when you get home hungry, stressed, and impatient, Hangry is here to help. Each Monday, Kendra Vaculin will share quick, exciting meals to rescue anyone who might be anxiously eyeing a box of minute rice.

Today: Leave the truffles and the chocolate cake behind (but you can bring the earrings along): This Valentine's Day, the way to the heart is through soup. 

Near the beginning of Nick Offerman's stand-up (watch it on Netflix -- it's weird and good), he offers some very Valentine's Day-applicable advice:

"Go to your printer," he says, from somewhere beneath the moustache. "There’s paper in there. Find the paper. Take a sheet of it. Fold it in half. Draw a heart on it. Open it up. Write 'I love you.' Sign your name. You will get. So. Kissed.”

He's right, I think. Definitely. When it comes to Displays Of Affection, this is an A+, home run move. Make me a lovely grade school card and I will totally kiss your face. I will keep the card in a box forever and I will take it out to look at when I'm sad. Thank you very much for the great card.  

Or instead you could make me soup? 

The downside of being my friend/my sister/my boyfriend/my roommate is that many of my presents arrive in a Tupperware. I’ve written letters, bought sweaters, and painted bad ceramics, but more often than not, my “I care about you"s come straight from the oven. I make Cheer Up Crumble and I’m Sorry Chocolate Cake, You’re So Much Better Without Him Curry and Thank You For Everything Waffles. When I like you so much and I need you to know it, I adhere to the adage that says feeding you’s the fastest way. 

In honor of Valentine’s Day, today we make I Love You Soup. ILYSoup has wine and rosemary, plus sausage if you dig that. Make it for the human beings you love in your life, and then, self-love style, steal all of the leftovers and freeze them for later.  

White Bean and Kale Soup with Sausage

Serves 5

Olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups vegetable stock
One 15-ounce can white beans (like Great Northern), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
2 to 3 cups chopped kale
1 pound sausage (like kielbasa or chorizo)
Salt and pepper, to season
Red pepper flakes, to sprinkle
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Alpha Smoot