Now that cold weather is really upon us - and it is cold in most of the midwest - don't you wish you had some new recipes for tasty comfort foods that are easy to make? Well, I've got one for you today. This recipe is SO good and really easy to make. Our daughter Holly gave me this recipe after she had it at a party for parents of students at her sons' school. She told me it was one of the best things she had eaten in a long time, and I have to agree with her! Even her boys like it and they are most suspicious of new things if you know what I mean.
This recipe is made with cannellini beans, and kale. As you may know, kale is the new darling of the health food world and with good reason. It is full of flavonoids and antioxidants. Kale is good for reducing cholesterol and helps detoxify our systems. You can read all about the great health benefits of kale here http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38.
I added a pound of browned breakfast sausage just to have a one dish meal. This recipe would be just as good without the sausage, believe me. The flavors are amazing. I can see the skeptical look on your face from here. Beans and greens? Barbecue sauce? Seriously? You are going to have to trust me on this one and give it a try, just so you will know how good this really is. Yummmmmmo is all I can say. Here is what you need:
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney beans are the same thing)
8 cups chopped kale (1 large or 2 small bunches, stems removed, chopped and blanched)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (they recommend Stubbs, I used Sweet Baby Rays - what I had and it's great)
2 tsps hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. breakfast sausage browned, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
To blanch the kale, remove the stems, chop in small 1-2" pieces, and place in a steamer basket over boiling water in a pan big enough to hold all the greens. Cook for just a few minutes. Kale can be rather chewy, so make sure you cut it in small bite sized pieces. Mine was cut a little big and next time I will cut it smaller. It will just make it easier to eat. That is my only tip.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or so. Add the blanched, chopped kale and cook for a few minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
If you are using sausage, brown in a separate pan and add to the above mixture.
If not adding sausage, place everything in a 9" casserole and bake covered for 45 minutes. If adding sausage, place in a 9 x 13 baking dish, cover and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
This is SOOOO good. You get protein, greens, fiber, and deliciousness from the sauce. Serve with some hot bread and you are good to go. The sauce is so good that I will use this for my baked beans from now on. Amazingly good.
If you want to serve this as a side dish, leave the sausage out and make as recommended. Just. Plain. Awesome.
I really like recipes that are recommended by others who have actually made or eaten them. Sometimes choosing recipes can be a toss of the dice. They sound good, but don't always turn out the way you hoped. Give this one a try. It is approved by 3 picky small boys and their Pawpaw. Thanks, Holly!
Everyday Donna
Things to Remember:
There are two types of people; those who eat kale and those who should. Bo Muller-Moore
