Tuscan Cabbage and White Bean Soup (Week 4)

J. Marchini Farms turned me on to Tuscan cabbage so ...guess what?  Tuscan cabbage and white bean soup.  It's very simple and it fills your kitchen with an utterly divine aroma.  Here is the product below served in my Deda (Grandpa) Jack's soup dishes (circa 1930).  Note, there is a similar recipe in Whole Foods "4 Pillars of Health" flyer.  Basically, its the same but I added the Tuscan cabbage with the kale and added dry white beans, lentils and chestnuts.  Their recipe looks equally as tasty and probably a lot faster.

By the way, this was really good with the La Brea Olive bread  I picked up while I was shopping today.

Tuscan Cabbage and White Bean Soup
1 bunch of Tuscan cabbage, chopped
1 bunch of curly kale, chopped
1 c. of chopped carrots
6.5 oz of chestnut meats (Melissa's), chopped (great product, by the way, since it comes vacuum packed and "meats only")
1 onion chopped
3 Tbsp of Bari olive oil
6 cloves of garlic smashed and chopped
1 Tbsp of chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 c. dry white beans (soaked and rinsed first)
1/2 c. green lentils (soaked and rinsed first)
2 cans chicken broth
4 to 6 cups of water

Olive oil in the pan.  Saute onions and garlic till wilted and browned.  Add in kale and Tuscan cabbage and saute till wilted.  Add in carrots and chestnuts.  Lightly brown.  Add in spices then lentils and beans.  Add in broth and water.  Simmer for 45 minutes.