Tomato Soup with Wild Rice and Collard Greens

Because I need to nurture myself back to good health!

I know I sound like a broken record, but I have been super busy lately!  It's easy to get caught up in assignments, deadlines, meetings, homework, etc., etc., and as a result, eat like crap.  I feel like I'm constantly eating on the go, or at 9:00 pm, or at school/work.  I rarely get the chance to sit down and just eat, without doing homework or responding to emails or spacing out as a means of a personal vacation, at the same time.

As a result, I've been feeling a little sluggish lately, which is really putting a damper on my levels of productivity.  Also, I've been noticing some weight gain (gaaahhh!!!) and, oh yeah, suffered through a kidney stone the other day.  So, I forced myself to take some time away from studying this weekend, go to the store, and put together something quick, yet comforting and nourishing.  [It's amazing what a medical emergency and a number on a scale can do for motivation!]

I really wanted kale in this soup, but the store didn't have any!  Not that there's anything wrong with collard greens.  In fact, these greens are still light in flavor after cooking, maybe a little more chewy, but are also packed with vitamins and nutrients that my eat-on-the-go diet was lacking.  The soup isn't fancy, but is perfect for dipping bread (culprit of the weight gain?  Quite likely.) and is filling without being too heavy.  Also, leftovers are fantastic.  Which is a good thing, since this yields somewhere around 20 servings.  Hey, I'm not going to have time to cook again for a while.  I have to plan ahead for these things.

                                             [Sorry for the crappy pic, by the way] 

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup dry wild rice
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
28-oz can tomato sauce
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup nutritional yeast, optional
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped (I got about 5-6 cups)
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large pot or pressure cooker, saute onion and garlic on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onions are soft.  Add rice, veg broth and water and stir to combine.

*If using a pressure cooker:  Attach lid, bring up to pressure, and cook according to manufacturer's directions for 18 minutes.  Allow pressure to release and return pot to stove.

*If using a regular pot:  Cook rice according to directions on package.  Then follow recipe below.

When rice is cooked, return pot to medium heat.  Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir to combine.  Stir in cumin, cinnamon, coriander, brown sugar, and nutritional yeast, if using.  Toss in greens, and cook until leaves are slightly wilted, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.