Sundried Tomato Parmesan Broth with Chickpeas and Collards

We tried this quick and easy recipe Saturday night as a way to get a big dose of greens and use the big bunch of Collard greens that came in our veggies this week.

I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this one - it seemed a little too easy - but it's delicious. We served it with toasted sliced of 5-grain bagette.

Ingredients
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus one 2-inch Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1 bunch Collard greens (3/4 pound), stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons store-bought sun-dried-tomato pesto*

Directions
In a medium soup pot, bring the broth to a simmer with the cheese rind and the chickpeas. Cook over low heat until the broth is flavorful, about 10 minutes; discard the rind. Add the greens and simmer until wilted, about 10 minutes. (Other greens like chard and kale will cook much faster.)
Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the sun-dried-tomato pesto. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of the remaining pesto and serve.

*I found the pesto in the spaghetti sauce section at Publix, our local grocery store, after looking in the produce and ethnic food aisle first. 

This could easily be made vegetarian by using a meat-free broth. It would be a great meatless Monday dinner!