a delicious gluten free italian wedding soup {sort of} with lots of yummy meatballs and baby kale:

what do you do when you find yourself with a huge bag of beautiful organic baby kale you couldn't resist buying at the store? you think about all sorts of ways you might use said kale in foods and salads before it goes bad (we're talking a HUGE bag). if you're me, for some odd reason, you think about a steaming hot bowl of italian wedding soup loaded with luscious meatballs, and then you go from there-starting with the meatballs by combining a few simple ingredients in a bowl: organic (grass fed) ground beef, thinly sliced scallions, chopped italian parsley, sea salt, pepper, a touch of smoked paprika (just because), and just a hit of chick pea flour (or corn flour). once you've rolled your little meatballs and added them to a sizzling pot of minced onions in olive oil, you are almost there. it's been cold out there this winter (in most areas of the world)-take heart: this soup truly warms you inside and out. better start on those meatballs!

ingredients for 4 servings of minette's italian wedding soup:

• 1 pound ground organic/grass fed beef (pork or turkey)-preferably 7% fat

• 1 medium to large onion, or two small shallots (my preference recently) finely chopped

• a bunch of scallions (green onions) finely sliced (6-8)

• a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely minced (about 1/2 cup)

• sea salt & pepper to taste (for salt, per bon appetit: as a rule, about 1 tsp per pound will make for perfectly salted meatballs)

• 2-3 tsp chickpea flour (or corn flour)-or you may want to substitute breadcrumbs

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional) &/or cayenne pepper (for a spicier version)

• 2 medium ripe tomatoes (roma tomatoes are good) finely cubed

• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

• 1.5-2 cups of organic baby kale (adjust amount to taste, or substitute with spinach if you prefer)

• 1/2-1 cup italian gluten fee (or your choice) orzo

• 3 cups preferably homemade beef or chicken broth

• 1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

• good freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. make the meatballs by combining meat, scallions, 2/3rds of the parsley, sea salt & freshly ground pepper, smoked paprika, and chick pea flour in a bowl and mixing by hand (use gloves)-the light touch of your hands incorporates all the ingredients without crushing the meat. don't over-mix into a paste–full pieces of ground meat should still be visible. add a few teaspoons of water if necessary. roll little balls (bite size is best for soup) out of the mixture and set aside on a plate.

2. heat the oil in a dutch oven, add onions and fry on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes before adding the meatballs carefully and allowing them to brown on one side (medium heat) before turning them carefully to brown the other.

3. when the meatballs and onions are browned, add 3-4 cups of water and three cups of broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow the meatballs to cook for about 15-20 minutes.

4. add cubed tomatoes (or stewed tomatoes from a jar) and simmer for another 15 minutes.

5. add the orzo and allow it to cook until they plump up and become tender, then add the remaining parsley and the kale. add a little more broth to the pot if necessary, then cook for another 15 minutes. add the lemon juice (to taste) before serving. taste and adjust seasoning.

6. sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

7. buon appetito!