Kale With Tomatoes And White Beans

A few nights ago I was rummaging through my fridge trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Nothing caught my eye. I opened all of my cabinets, hoping that something would jump out at me there. That’s when I realized that I have so many cans of different kinds of beans, it’s a little embarrassing. My embarrassment was the start of this kale with tomatoes and white beans side dish.

Usually, when I cook with beans, I end up with something very warming and better suited to a cold winter night than one than a warm summer night. My daughter was flying in for a visit and I knew she’d be hot and starving and there was no way I would be able to sell a hot chili or Mexican-y dish… ugh… I was just drawing a blank.

So, I started looking through recipes on some of my favorite food blogs. A big thank you goes to Miryam at Eat Good 4 Life — she posted an awesome recipe and it was just perfect. My lack of inspiration fed on her great recipe…

If you want to learn more about the benefits of kale, and why you should make this hearty green one of your go-to greens in salads and other dishes, read this article from HealthyLine. This article lists 26 benefits you can get from kale… 26!

I served this kale with tomatoes and white beans as a side to a nice bowl of soup, and a new favorite meal was born. The next time I make salmon, this definitely will be my go-to side — it will look great next to the orange fish and… yum!

If you want another great side dish that’s perfect for summer, try my Zoodles With Raw Tomato Sauce recipe.

Here are some of the reasons this kale with tomatoes and white beans dish is so good for you:

Kale is everywhere these days. It is extremely nutritious, and because it to so popular you can find it already washed and prepared in lots of markets. Make sure you clean the kale leaves thoroughly and remove the center thick stems if they bother you (I don’t like to eat these think stems). This dark leafy green is a great source of fiber and calcium. It’s also rich in many minerals, including magnesium, iron and potassium. One serving contains 200% of the daily requirements of Vitamin C and 180% of Vitamin A.

In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections. This recipe uses both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes.

White beans are good at boosting energy and calming the mind. They can help improve your memory and can lower cholesterol. And, they are a great source of protein.