Recipe: Not Caldo Verde

This is a chicken soup recipe that started as caldo verde when I first made it, then steadily mutated to become completely not caldo verde. It was born of necessity when the manfriend and I kept getting bunches of kale in our local vegetable deliveries, but I've made it with spinach, too. It's very simple, reasonably quick, cheap, and low in calories. Makes about 8 servings. Goes great with my dinner rolls recipe.

In a large stew pot, dump:
2 qts. chicken stock
2 qts. water
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces (cage-free organic if you want to go to heaven)
2 chorizo sausages, cut into small pieces (or similar—I use Trader Joe's Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage)
1 large potato, cut into tiny blocks (or, use cauliflower—see next step)
1 cup carrots, chopped into small chunks or thin medallions
1½ cups brown rice
3 cups kale, chopped (or use spinach—see next step)
½ cup onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced

Bring to a gentle boil then turn down to medium-low heat. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes, until rice, carrots, and potatoes (if you use potatoes) are soft. Then add:

3 cups spinach, chopped (if you didn't use kale)
½ head cauliflower, chopped into small florets (if you didn't use potatoes)
any other chopped veggies you like—peppers, corn, zucchini, etc.
lots of salt—keeping adding until it's to your taste
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Cook until veggies are soft. Freezes and reheats most excellently.