Originally published on Pittsburgh Magazine
The moment I saw a of Gisele nursing her toddler in The New York Times, I knew I had to meet her. The first lady of Braddock, PA — a woman who proudly nurses her toddler in public – in front of millions of readers – is an automatic hero in my book.
Then I ran into her online. Toddler nurser ISO same. We connected. Just kidding. It was a forum for mothers with “radical” ideas. Such as extended breastfeeding (which, in many cultures, is not radical at all). We are both lactivists, for one. And it all begins there. Our favorite vegetable is kale — she named the family dog after it. True story! And we are both proponents of nutrition and healing with whole foods – in fact, she provides free nutrition and health counseling services in Braddock. It is only one of the many initiatives she has implemented.
Most recently, she launched Braddock’s Free Store. She works with the nonprofit, KIDS (Kids in Distressed Situations) and retailers like Costco who provide the Free Store with the inventory that gets redistributed for –as the name suggests — FREE to those in need.
And she has many more initiatives in the burner. So I was happy when we found some time to get together to make one of her favorite meals – Caldo Verde, the soup her grandmother always made for her as she was growing up. And it is indeed a comforting soup. The potatoes and (of course) kale are a classic combination that is perfect for fall.
Watch the video and make this one of your go-to meals as the chill of the fall season approaches.
Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)
Serves 4
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, cubed
8 cups chopped kale
½ cup parsley, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper
hot pepper flakes (optional)
- In a pot, sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Add potatoes, kale and broth and bring to a boil.
- Add parsley, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are done.
- Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes, more minced parsley and drizzle with a it of olive oil before serving.