Tonight’s dish came together by looking at my refrigerator and picking out a few things that seemed to go well together. You guys know what a fan I am of one-skillet meals, so once the idea was born, I knew just what I was going to make. I hadn’t ever put these particular ingredients together before, but I knew I liked all of them individually, so it was sure to be a hit. It’s fun to experiment in the kitchen – that’s how great recipes are created.
The main inspiration was the package of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils that I’d purchased months and months ago that were due to expire in a week.
If you like lentils but haven’t tried these, I highly recommend them. They’re already cooked (steamed) and then vacuum sealed. The expiration date is at least 6 months long, and they’re great to have on hand for quick, filling dinners.
Beyond that, I’d just done my weekly shopping at TJ’s and had picked up 4 bags of kale and some pesto chicken sausages, and after a bit of time in the skillet, it became a tasty, filling, healthy dinner.
Ingredients:
Click on this pic for a clearer image
Directions:
The first thing I did was sauteed the onions with a tiny bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional). Once they were translucent, I added the package of kale.
I’ve been loving kale for a while now, and bought 4 bags of pre-washed kale for this week alone! I love the taste, it’s nutrient-rich, and it’s so easy to make. (I want to look into some smoothie recipes that use kale instead of spinach – if you know of any, please let me know in the comments).
Once the kale was done, I transferred it to temporary bowl while I browned the sausage. Since it’s already cooked, all I need to do was get a good color on each piece.
Portion Control Tip: I cut each sausage link into 7 even pieces, so that when I go to serve myself, I know that 1 link = 7 pieces. It helps me stay on track.
Next it was time to add in the lentils, to which I added just a bit (1/4 cup?) of chicken broth, just to keep them from drying out too much.
Cooking tip: I was telling my sister how I hated to open a whole container of chicken broth just to use a tiny bit, because there was no way I would use the rest of the container in 7 days’ time. She suggested pouring the remaining chicken broth into the ice cube tray and freezing it. Then, I can defrost as many cubes as I need to in the skillet. Brilliant!
Finally, I added the kale and onions back into the skillet, and let the flavors meld for a few minutes.
Within 20 minutes, dinner is ready!
I added about a tsp of parmesan cheese to the top. Delicioso!
Doesn’t that look delicious? I think it’s the perfect meal for a chilly December night like this one. If you like lentils and kale, this will sure to be a go-to dinner all winter long. If you’re not staying low carb as I am, you could easily substitute pasta for the kale. My mom makes a version of pasta and lentils that is a family favorite.
I took this last one to "show off" my dining table, which is festively decorated for the season.
Bella on the Beach 
What a brilliant idea for the chicken broth! I am so going to try that!
I know, right? My sis is so smart! (Although she might’ve picked up this tip from some cooking show/magazine/book). 🙂