Garlic & Kale Soup

1/2 cup wheat berries
2 Tbs olive oil
3.5oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (1 cup)
10 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
4 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch kale (10 oz), stemmed and coarsely chopped

1) Soak wheat berries in large bowl of cold water overnight.
2) Heat oil in 2-qt saucepan over medium heat.  Add mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired.  Saute mushrooms 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown.  Add garlic, and saute 2 minutes more.  Stir in vinegar; simmer until vinegar is almost evaporated, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan.
3) Drain wheat berries, and add to mushroom mixture with vegetable broth and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes.
4) Add kale, and cook 10 to 20 minutes more, or until kale is tender.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review:  I used the freeze dried mix of mushrooms from Costco, so they weren't thinly sliced and there was a variety.  It worked well.  This was a yummy, hearty soup.