Come back! Don’t run away! I know this sounds way too healthy to be exciting, but trust me. This is really, really good. A dear friend emailed me this recipe, saying it was one of the best things she’s ever made. I don’t know about you, but when I hear language like that, I stop and pay attention — especially if it’s coming from someone with pretty discriminating taste. In addition, the recipe has a five star rating from over 100 people. I followed the directions exactly, except I eliminated the parsley, as it seemed superfluous to me. Hello, SAT word.

We have had a tough week here with illness. Norovirus and pneumonia for Nate; fever, cough, and God-knows-what-else for Andrew, and general insanity for me. I have not been feeling so hot but bravely soldiering on, as a good nurse should. Sometimes all you can do is make a nice pot of soup and hope for the best.

Giada’s Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup, original recipe here

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 to 6 large shallots, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 8 ounces ground white turkey meat, broken into small chunks
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped (about 4 packed cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrots and bell pepper and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and stir, 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and Parmesan, if using, and serve.