Friday, August 31, 2012

White Beans, Chicken Sausage, and Kale (A Simple Meal For Multiple Situations)


I found the perfect recipe that's perfect for multiple situations (and I know this because each of these have been tested!);

Situation #1: Walking in the door after a long day of work and not feeling like making dinner, at all.

Situation #2: Having my parents over for dinner, last minute.

Situation #3: Nick's playing poker later in the evening and he wants me to pack him a dinner to take with him.


The following recipe takes about ten minutes and involves minimal clean-up. It's great! And that's not to mention the amazing nutrition profile (see below).


White Beans, Chicken Sausage, and Kale

Serves 4

1/2 lb. italian chicken sausages (nitrate free is best)**
5 garlic cloves, sliced**
1 T olive oil
2-15 ounce cans of great northern beans**
3/4 lb. kale (about 5-6 large handfuls)
1 T balsamic vinegar

** Note: If you are following the low FODMAPs diet, omit the garlic cloves and use garlic EVOO instead of regular EVOO (so you can still get that garlic taste).  Also, be aware that most Italian sausages have garlic and/or onion in them, so limit your portion.  Lastly, take a Beano with your beans!**


Directions

Remove sausage from its casing (if it was in casing) and chop into small pieces. Saute in the oil until browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the sausage and reserve it to the side.

Saute the garlic until just golden, about 1 minute. Add the beans with their liquid and stir in the kale, a few handfuls at a time. Simmer until the kale is tender, about 2 minutes, adding more water if needed to keep the beans moist.

Stir the sausage into the beans and kale. Season with black pepper and balsamic vinegar.



VOILA!


I know, I know, this is the worst lighting ever. Sorry. I promise this tasted better than it necessarily looks.


I served this (when my parents came over) with roasted brussel sprouts. Yeah, it was a lot of "green", but I really wanted roasted brussel sprouts on this particular evening.

Nick said, and I quote "I could eat this every night".

Ummm.... OK!

And if you're wondering how you can tell if your sausage contains nitrates or nitrites, check out the ingredient list;

They would be listed on here in the ingredient list if they were added to the product (ex: sodium nitrate).


Estimated Nutrition Facts
(Serving size: 1/4 of total recipe)


QUESTION: Do you like kale? I recently read a fun post about kale on Lauren's blog (Foodtrainers). It's basically the "cool vegetable" this year (last year it was brussel sprouts). I even have a shirt that says KALE!

What are your plans for the weekend?? I work on Saturday but have Sunday off. I plan to get outside if it's nice again, and go for a wedding dress fitting. I can't wait to finally get in it again!


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10 comments :

  1. Thanks for the shout out Gina. I love that this recipe is at once light and hearty. I love your "possible situations". I forget about healthier chicken sausages and should keep them on hand. I make a soup version of this dish white bean, kale and a bit of ham but I'm just about ready to cut soup off for the spring.What will be next years' Kardashian veggie?

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  2. haha! i love how nick plays poker and brings his own dinner. that's adorable and wow gourmet meal to go! i would be like um pick up some food on your way there. hahahaha #reasonswhyimsingle

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  3. Nick brings food to his poker game? That's kinda cool.

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  4. I do love kale-- but I'm rebelling against kale chips bc it grates me for some reason. Love the kale in this dish though! I made a similar version except with zucchini instead of kale. :-)

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  5. Love the title of your post, and this recipe looks delicious! My husband is on the fence about kale (he liked it in my pasta and Caesar salads, but not in my smoothies), but I hiring he would go for this. My kids-not so much! Also, catching up on my blog reading-loved your post on Dr.O. My mom has come to me with questions now just because she heard something on his show-argh!! Sure wish I had all that influence :-)

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  6. SO excited about this recipe!! Definitely fixing this STAT!!! :-)

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  7. You have all my favorite ingredients in one bowl!

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  8. I love meals that fit lots of different occasions, this one looks delicious! I love kale, only just really started using it though. Hope the wedding dress fitting goes well!

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  9. I was only pondering to buy biosil but after reading through your blog, oh my god I just can't start on this dieting regimen for now. Uber!

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  10. The best diets for weight loss are those that you still enjoy eating delicious food. You should be creative on picking your ingredients and partnering them with others so you have a delicious and healthy mix.

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