Collard Greens and Potato Stew

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So. It's winter. I mean, it's really winter. I probably shouldn't complain, since it can be a lot worse -- like buried-neck-deep-in-snow worse. But we get frost (!) in California. Frost.... terrible frost that I just wipe off with my windshield wiper. Okay, so it's not really very cold. But due to some... shall we say, creative?... heating arrangement in our apartment, some areas stay ice cold no matter what we do. One way to combat the cold is with a warm belly full of soup. This soup helped me hibernate and stay warm. It will help you too. I promise.

You'll need:

• 1 bunch collard greens, de-veined and sliced into 2 inch wide strips
• 1 15-ounce cannillini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 medium white potatoes, medium diced (you can use Russet potatoes instead, but make sure to peel them first)
• 1 medium sweet yellow onion, medium diced
• 2 medium red bell peppers, medium diced
• 2 small Bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme, leaves only
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt
• chopped green onions for garnish (optional)

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil. Add sliced collard greens. Cover, turn down to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove greens and set aside. Reserve liquid.

In a medium pot, saute onion and red bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Bay leaves, thyme and garlic, cook for 2 more minutes. Add potatoes and cannellini beans. Add enough of the collard greens boiling liquid to just cover all the vegetables, about 3 cups or so. Season with salt. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the soup thickens and potato pieces are soft. Stir in cooked collard greens. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.