Thai Chicken Chopped Salad

Not all salads are a meal. A real one. 

One that nourishes and satisfies the biggest appetites. 

This one fits the bill and has so many yummy ingredients that make it interesting. Plus, you can switch up the veggies and starch (or omit altogether) to make it your own. 

And because my little ones are not exactly diving into a salad bowl anytime soon, I just pull out the ingredients they like as I prep and everyone is happy. 

With lots of of my favorite comfort foods on the menu most nights, this is a nice way to break it up. 

Oh, and bonus points that we had leftovers that I threw in a wok with some brown rice the next day, added some more soy and it was delicious. 

Thai Chicken Chopped Salad

Imperfect Polish 2017

serves 6

For the dressing: 

1/3 cup olive oil 

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons white vinegar, I like rice

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (in produce case) or grated ginger

juice of one lime

couple splashes of fish sauce if you're into it

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 

Can be made up to two days before. 

For the salad: 

14 oz thawed frozen edamame

5 cups kale or greens of choice, chopped 

3 large carrots, diced or julienned

2 red bell peppers, diced or julienned

1 can chopped water chestnuts

2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken (I use rotisserie or leftovers)

1 cup rice noodles, softened and chopped (or quinoa, brown rice, anything you like)

handful of chopped cilantro

3 scallions, chopped

handful of peanuts, chopped

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. (This can be done a couple hours before and refrigerated if needed) Toss with the dressing a little bit of a time. You may use it all, you may not. Taste as you go until dressed to your taste. If it needs more seasoning, add more soy and lime juice. Top with sriracha if you like it spicy. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Tomato Soup That is Actually A Meal

Much to not one person's surprise, all I want to make for dinner is soup. The temperature is below 60 officially, so that is where I am at. 

But with very hungry roommates, the soup I make has to be hearty. 

And on the flip side, it would be nice if it was also healthful. Tomato soup seems to be an easy way to get a vegetable (or is it a fruit?) in my kids. And the secret to actually filling up their tummy's is that this soup also has beans in it that get pureed with the vegetables. It gives it body and thickness that is so comforting. 

Then to give it a bit of richness you add a dollop of savory whip cream (which you could leave out to keep it vegan or dairy free or lighter) that takes it from just soup to something that feels elevated and elegant. Lemon and rosemary also give it a bit of freshness that I love. 

I have made this soup so many times and every time I wish I made more to keep in the fridge, so double it for more leftovers. 

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon & Rosemary
Giada's Kitchen 2008
6 to 8 servings

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 oz) can cannellini (white) beans, drained ad rinsed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes 
3 cups chicken stock (vegetable would work too)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream
zest of 1 lemon

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes covered. 

Puree the soup in a blender in batches, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. (note: do this one ladle at a time. Trust me, there will be soup all over your kitchen otherwise. I use an immersion blender, which is even easier) Return the soup to the soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks (with a hand mixer). Fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each bowl with the lemon-rosemary whipped cream. Serve immediately. 

* Make Ahead: I made this soup the day before and made the cream right before dinner and it was perfect. 

 xo
Erin 

Favorite Summer Recipes

So when you think of Summer, you think of a lot of relaxing time in the sunshine with cold drink in hand. And while that happens, it is also a lot of juggling and strange new schedules and worn out kids parents. Cooking in the Summer is the absolute best, but I am having a hard time finding my creativity after I have been running around all day. I want to do all the relaxing then. ha So I have been going back to a lot of my old stand by recipes to keep things easy. Which everyone always loves, those that live in my house and those that are just visiting. Here is what will be on rotation in the coming months...

Brussel Sprout Salad with Almonds

Turkey Burgers with Grilled Avocado

 Banh Mi Burger

Chicken Burgers and Lemony Kale Salad

 Summer Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Greek Grilled Chicken with Lemon Couscous

Honey Mustard Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Kale & Brown Rice Salad with Toasted Almonds

Orzo, Corn, & Avocado Salad

Pine Nut & Parmesan Crusted Fish

Pork Tacos with Honey Lime Slaw

Lemon, Quinoa, & Arugula Salad with Parmesan 

Santa Fe Quinoa Salad

Steak Caesar Salad

Tuna & White Bean Salad

BBQ Asian Sea Bass

xo
Erin 

Game Day Queso

No one needs an excuse to eat a big pot of melty cheese with salty chips, but watching all this football and baseball seems to be a great one. The last time I made it in the pic below, it was under the shade of a tree surrounded by my college girlfriends, which was heaven.  Now it is time to cozy up to Fall and break out the leggings, so this might be on heavy rotation each weekend. This is a combo of a few recipes I have made over the years. The best part is it is easy and you can make it to your taste. Happy dipping. 

                       

The Best Queso Dip

Imperfect Polish 2016

serves about 4-6 people at snack time

1 tablespoon oil, I like olive oil, but vegetable is fine

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped finely (leave some seeds if you like heat)

12 oz American Cheese (go to the deli counter), shredded 

4 oz Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded (use regular Monterey Jack you do not like spicy)

3/4 cup milk

Bunch of cilantro, chopped (leave out if you do not like it)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a metal dish, like a cast iron casserole or pan, in the oven to heat up. 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and sauce until onions are slightly browned. Reduce heat to Medium Low/Low and add in the cheeses and stir until melted. Add in about 1/2 of the milk and whisk. You can add more milk if it is too thick a little bit of at a time and keep whisking. Continue until you like the consistency of it. 

Take off the heat and pour the queso into the heated dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the cilantro if using. If you want to make it spicier, add in some of your favorite hot sauce. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Greek Night

I have made Greek inspired food a lot, but usually in the grilled chicken and hummus variety. I wanted to make something that had the flavors of gyro, but something everyone would like. Meatballs being the crowd favorite in the house, it seemed like the easiest choice. This is such a yummy dinner and all the components can be combined however each person would like to eat them. Perfect for company or the many different palettes in your house.             

                   

Gyro Meatballs with Greek Salad, Tzatiki, Hummus, and Pita

Imperfect Polish 2016

serves 6

Store Bought: Pita (get the good, fluffy ones), hummus (or make your own if you have a few minutes), olives from the olive bar (I like the herby, spicy, marinated ones, but get what you like)

For the Meatballs: 

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder (you 

2 cloves of garlic, minced

salt & pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I like panko, but use what you want)

2 lbs ground lamb (sub beef, chicken, or turkey too)

For the Tzatiki: 

2 cups Greek Yogurt (I like full fat for this, but you do you)

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

1/2 a cucumber, seeds scooped out, grated (use a box grater)

salt and pepper

For the Salad: 

2 hearts of romaine, chopped (about 8 cups)

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, diced 

1/2 of a cucumber, diced

handful of peppercinis, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

1. Prepare the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil on two sheet pans and spray with cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs, except the meat in a large bowl. Stir and combine well, then add the meat. Using a fork, lightly combine until mixture is well distributed. Using a measuring spoon (I like 1/2 tablespoon for small ones, tablespoon for larger ones), scoop out the mixture and roll into balls. Place on the baking sheet, repeat with rest of mixture. (Note: This takes some time and can be done in advance, just refrigerate and bake off later.) Bake for 20 minutes. 

2. Make the Tzatiki: While the meatballs cook, combine all ingredients for tzatiki in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning of salt and pepper. Refrigerate. 

3. Make the Salad: While the meatballs cook, place the romaine, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and peppercinis in a large salad bowl. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic, and oregano. Whisk together and seasons with some salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly stream in the oil. Start with 1/4 cup and taste. If too strong, add more oil to taste. Refrigerate both bowls. 

4. To Serve: Toss the salad with enough dressing to taste. Then place all the components in the middle of the table and let everyone make their own plates. The more casual and rustic the better. 

Enjoy! 

xo

PS: I also made saganaki. Flaming cheese. If you have been to a Greek restaurant and heard someone yell Opa! and flames were around them. That was it. So delicious, and easy to make at home. Skip the brandy or ouzo part and just do lemon juice, much less dangerous. ha

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From the Archives: Roasted Cod with Caponata

Have you evert tried caponata? My obsession runs deep from 2010 when I first started trying to make it at home. Imagine lots of veggies, rich tomatoes, and briney capers all melted together into sweet and salty perfection. Caponata is a great thing to make a pot of and use over the course of a week. Great for dipping bread in, tossed with pasta, grilled meats, or topped on your favorite white fish like this recipe. I like to use cod or halibut when I make this because it is a firm fish that can stand up to the strong caponata. This is the perfect recipe for even the harshest of fish critics, everyone wins. 

Roasted Cod with Caponata
forks & amusement 2010
serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large celery stalks, large chop
2 baby eggplant, large chop
2 red bell peppers, large chop
1 onion, large chop
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons capers
salt & pepper
1 large cod filet (about 1.25-1.5 lb), you can use an firm white fish that you love as well, halibut would be great too

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the eggplant to the pan and cook for 2 minutes with the celery. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and add the peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices and the oregano. Bring to a boil and add salt and pepper to taste. Change heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and vegetables have softened. Add the vinegar, sugar and capers. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (this can be made in advance and stored for a few days in the fridge. Make extra and enjoy all week with bread, my fave)

Place fish on a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the caponata over the fish and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked through and firm to the touch. 

Serve in pieces, topped with caponata. 

xo
Erin 

Weeknight Dinner: Chicken Burgers & Lemony Kale Salad

This is my favorite dinner right now. You can prep it in advance, but it also can come together in 20 minutes and you have a fresh, healthy dinner that is beyond satisfying. I have written abut this salad before, but it is good enough for a repeat. The kids are not into salad, (weird I know) so I just give them some fruit and extra rice dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper on the side. Anything with lemon feels like Summer, and I think it is actually happening. So cheers to that and I hope you like this one! Ingredients are in bold to help with your grocery list. 

              

Chicken Burgers & Lemony Kale Salad

Serves 4

Step 1, make the burgers: 

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 egg

1/2 Tablespoon Worchestire sauce

1.5 lbs ground chicken (turkey would be fine too)

In a large bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients with some salt and pepper. Add the chicken and combine softly, but well, with a fork. Form into patties (they will seem really wet, this is ok) and stick in the fridge to set for a few minutes or up to day before. 

Step 2, make the salad dressing: 

juice of one lemon

salt & pepper

1 minced garlic clove

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons light mayo (leave out if you are not into it)

2 tablespoons olive oil (4 if not using the mayo)

Whisk all the ingredients except the oil together in a small bowl, then stream the oil in and whisk to combine well. Taste and adjust for seasoning. If you have a really juicy lemon, you may need more oil/mayo. Set aside in fridge hours or even days ahead. 

Step 3, prep the salad: 

6 cups chopped kale, I like to slice thin, but any way is fine

2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled (I cheat and buy the pouches of it, perfect every time)

handful of chopped almonds, Marcona are the best, but any are fine

Combine all three ingredients in a large bowl and set in the fridge. 

Step 4, cook burgers: 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat on the stove or heat your grill up. Cook burgers for a few minutes on each side. Depending on the thickness, it should be about 3-5 minutes per side. When it is firm, it is done. 

      

Step 5, plate: 

While the burgers are cooking, dress the salad with the vinaigrette to desired taste and toss until well combined. Place a big mound on each plate. Then add the burgers to the plate and enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

New Favorite Salad

I have a new obsession in the form of dates. Yep, it is strange but I swear you will to once you start adding them to salads. I love the combination of a tart dressing, sweet dates, crunchy nuts or seeds, and leafy greens. You get all those flavors in one mouthful and I swear you will want to eat salad way more than you ever thought. Here is the current combo: 

                        

Place leafy greens in a big bowl. 

Cut up a creamy avocado and add that in. 

Slice some hearts of palm and thrown them in because you're so fancy.

Add a palm full of nuts or seeds (pepitas, almonds, pine nuts). 

Chop up some sweet dates (remove pit if there) and sprinkle in.

 Dice or shred some chicken if you have it leftover from the other night. 

Drizzle on your favorite vinaigrette. 

Toss and enjoy. This is restaurant quality non-cooking here. 

Love you. 

xo

Erin 

Weeknight Dinner: Sausage & Sweet Potato Fries

This dinner is one we have A LOT. The reason being that everyone eats all the components and it takes very little time and brain power. So everyone wins. The oven fries feel like a cheat, even though they are not. And the crazy good variety of sausages available these days can bring some variety to this meal.  I serve a salad on the side most nights. Really throw together whatever salad ingredients you like (current fave: arugula, avocado, pepita) and either make your own dressing or grab a bottle. I cut up avocado for the kids, too. 

                     

Ingredients: 

Enough sausage for all the mouths in your house (love a spicy Italian and a sweet chicken sausage right now. Use whatever you like)

Sweet potatoes (about 1 per person)

olive oil

salt and pepper

cornstarch

brown sugar

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place some foil on three big baking sheets.

Step 2: 

Cut the sweet potatoes into fries. About 1/3 inch thick, but don't torture yourself about it. And place on 2 of the baking sheets. You want some space between each of them, hence the two pans. If you run out of space use an additional pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, again don't torture yourself on measuring. Just enough to coat all of the fries. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, a little brown sugar, and enough cornstarch that each fry gets some. Then toss with your hands so everything gets coated evenly. You cannot screw this up, just make sure to give the fries some space. Put in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, tossing a couple times in between. They are done when they are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Then let cool a bit to crisp/firm up. 

Step 3: 

Place the sausage on one of the other baking sheets. For regular sized sausage, roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. Smaller sausages, less time. When they are firm, they are done. You can also grill if you want! Grill over medium high heat until firm, about 20 minutes. 

Serve with salad and enjoy the very limited amount of dishes, hence the foil! 

xo

Erin 

Weeknight Dinner

                      How many nights do you cook dinner? Kind of depends on the week, right? I am at about three to four nights right now. That does not count the nights that I am alone with the kids and we have "snack" dinner (hummus, crackers, fruit, hard eggs, salami, etc.) or I just make some spaghetti and cut up fruit (kind of my fave night). The other nights we are out or get take out. Three to four feels good to me, and that usually gets upped as it gets warmer and its easy throwing burgers on the grill and roasting some sweet potato fries. 

But making dinner can be hard, even for the most seasoned cooks, even when you have planned it way in advance, even if your kids will eat everything (bless you if they do). So no judgment here if you have eaten leftovers all week or have to throw out food in your fridge you were certain you would cook one night. We are all doing it and it is totally fine. 

I am going to try and share more of our simple weeknight meals to hopefully give you some ideas and share timing. You will see these are simply prepared, mostly healthy, and not that adventurous. Because when 5pm rolls around the last thing you want to do is dive into a complicated recipe. That is what Sundays are for. Or your favorite restaurant.  

First up is this meal from last night. 

         

Grilled Flank Steak with Cauliflower Rice and Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients you need: 

Enough Flank Steak to feed all the mouths in your house 

white wine (that old bottle in your fridge is totally fine)

Dijon mustard

garlic

shallot (optional)

olive oil

salt & pepper

1 head of cauliflower

Asparagus (1 bunch for every 2-3 people)

Step 1. 

Marinate the steak: Whisk together 1/3 cup each wine, mustard, and olive oil. Smash a couple garlic cloves and chop up a shallot if using. Add it to the marinade . Using a small knife, score the very top of steak in a pattern like this ###.  Place the steak in a plastic bag, pour the marinade in and seal up attempting to get all the air out. Massage in the marinade and refrigerate. This is enough marinade for up to 2 lbs of steak. If making more, just add more of each ingredient, you cannot really mess it up. You can do this the day before all the way to 20 min before grilling. 

Step 2. 

Make the "Rice" (if you are over fake rice, just grab a couple of those brown rice packs that cook in 90 seconds and season yourself. Do it all the time): Working in batches, add raw cauliflower to a food processor or Vitamix, or whatever you have that blends things. Pulse until the cauliflower magically turns into the size of rice. Place in a bowl and repeat with the rest of the cauliflower. Can be done in advance, just refrigerate. 

Step 3. 

Prep the asparagus: Cut the ends off the asparagus and place in a plastic bag. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat them and season with salt and pepper. Close bag and shake it to make sure everything gets seasoned. Toss in the fridge. 

Step 4. 

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Take meat out of the fridge.

Step 5. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a few slugs of olive oil. Smash two garlic cloves and add to the hot oil, cook for a minute or so, then add the rice. Sauté for fifteens minutes and season with salt and pepper. Remove the garlic before serving. Set aside and keep warm while you make the other food. 

Step 6. 

While the rice cooks, put the steak (throw some salt and pepper on it) and asparagus on the grill. The steak should cook about 5-8 minutes on each side depending on thickness and how you like it cooked. The firmer it gets, the more cooked it gets. The asparagus cooks for about 10-15 minutes and just flip once or twice. It is done the it is tender. Let meat rest on your cutting board for ten minutes. Keep asparagus warm in oven or put some foil on it. 

Step 7. 

Slice the meat in the opposite direction of the grain (those are the lines running across it). Serve up with the rice and asparagus and pour yourself some wine. 

Does that feel doable? Do you like the format I am writing this in? Suggestions more than welcome. And share your results with me! 

xo

Erin 

Note: Flank Steak recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa 

Edamame Hummus

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day (yes, I realize this was over a month ago), I made some green food to bring to a friend's. Besides rolling up some spinach tortillas and adding a little green food coloring to chocolate chip cookies, I made this easy dip. It took 5 minutes and comes together with ingredients you might already have. Or at least most of them. The edamame gives this hummus a new spin since we have all had the same boring one a billion times. Plus, I am sure there are some health benefits of the edamame, so there's that. 

                  

Edamame Hummus

Imperfect Polish 2016

1 bag of frozen edamame, defrosted 

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

juice of two lemons

1/2 cup tahini 

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

water and/or olive oil

salt and pepper

Place the first five ingredients in a blender/food processor/bullet/vitamix and process until smooth. Add in some water and/or olive oil to desired consistency (start with a little, process, add more if you need it, repeat until you get to what you like). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be store in the fridge for 5 or so days. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Kale & Brown Rice Salad with Almonds

Oh Kale. How I wanted to be over you because everyone else was into you, but hopped knowingly and lovingly on the band wagon and haven't looked back since I made you into chips. And how you continue to nourish my pizza loving family one smoothie and salad at a time. Thank you for that. This salad might be my favorite version of you yet, I have eaten it pretty much every day for lunch that I could. Thank you for not wilting in the fridge like other lame lettuces. And for going so perfectly with lemon and Parmesan. Love, Erin 

             

Kale & Brown Rice Salad with Almonds

Imperfect Polish 2016

Makes enough for two heaping entrees, or four sides

Leftovers are good for a couple days

for dressing: 

juice of one lemon

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon minced shallot or 1 minced garlic clove

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons light mayo (leave out if you are not into it)

2 tablespoons olive oil (4 if not using the mayo)

Whisk all the ingredients except the oil together, then stream the oil in and whisk to combine well. Taste and adjust for seasoning. If you have a really juicy lemon, you may need more oil/mayo. Set aside. 

for salad: 

6 cups chopped kale, I like to slice thin, but anyway is fine

2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled (I cheat and buy the pouches of it, perfect every time)

handful of chopped almonds, Marcona are the best, but any are fine

Good sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese (feta and goat cheese would work too)

Combine all four ingredients in a large bowl. Dress with the vinaigrette to desired taste and toss until well combined and enjoy. 

This is such a winner. I love it for lunch or with roasted/grilled chicken at night. A fried runny egg wouldn't suck on it either. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

         

Turkey Sausage & White Bean Soup

The kids are kind of getting into soup, which makes me extremely happy since I would eat it every night if possible. The concept of everything mixed together is still a little questionable to them, so I have to admit that sometimes I am fishing out just the stuff they like from some of my favorite soups. Of course I swore I would never do that, but here I am. 

This soup required minimum "sorting" so I call it a winner. And because it is so full of flavor, they missed the fact that they (god forbid) ate an onion piece or two. This soup is easy, a crowd pleaser, and generally healthful. It is best served with a giant heap of Parmesan sprinkled on top (still healthy in my book. ha) and a few dashes of hot sauce if you are into heat. We ate it for dinner one night and I consumed the rest at lunch. Yes, a hot lunch! crazy. 

Turkey Sausage & White Bean Soup

Imperfect Polish 2015

serves 6-8 

olive oil

26oz smoked turkey sausage, like kielbasa, cut lengthwise, then chopped

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped (if leeks freak you out, just use an onion)

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of white wine

2 - 15oz cans of white beans, like cannellini 

15 oz diced tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary

6 cups chicken stock

1 cup chopped kale (about one small bunch)

juice of half a lemon

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving 

In a large pot, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil at medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown, stirring occasionally until it is all browned a bit. Remove sausage from pot and place in a bowl. 

Add the leek, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sprinkle with just a bit of salt and sauté until starting to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for a minute. Then pour in the wine and scrape up all that browned goodness from the pot and let cook until reduced by about half (about 5 minutes. It needs to boiling, so if that is not happening, turn up the heat a bit). 

Add in the beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Stir everything together and let cook a few minutes. Then add in the stock and and sausage, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and add in the kale and lemon juice. Stir until kale is just wilted and taste for seasoning. Serve warm with heaping spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin