White Bean & Kale Stew

from Cooking Light, Oct. '08

Yield

8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried Great Northern beans
• 2 applewood-smoked bacon slices
• 2 cups chopped onion (2 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• 1 (2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain.

2. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds.

3. Add beans, broth, 2 cups water, thyme, rosemary, and kale to pan; bring to a boil. Add rind to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Remove from heat; discard rind. Stir in juice.Garnish each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon bacon.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

307 (19% from fat)

Fat:

6.6g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.6g,poly 1g)

Protein:

20.5g

Carbohydrate:

44.2g

Fiber:

10.9g

Cholesterol:

11mg

Iron:

6.3mg

Sodium:

505mg

Calcium:

216mg

Hunter's Chicken Stew

from Eating Well, Oct. '08

Makes 8 servings

TOTAL TIME: 2 1/2 hours

2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 bone-in chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on size
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
6 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil

egg noodles

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft and translucent, 2 to 4 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a bowl; set aside. Remove the pot from the heat.
2. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour. Gently shake off any excess.
3. Cook the chicken in 2 batches in the Dutch oven, using 1 tablespoon oil for each batch. Cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
4. Pour wine (or vermouth) into the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, broth, bay leaves and rosemary. Return the reserved onions to the pan. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices, making sure each piece is partially submerged. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pan and cook, gently stirring once or twice, until the chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and very creamy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, while you finish the stew.
6. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Bring the liquid in the pan to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the pan.
7. Gently stir in basil. Serve the stew over egg noodles.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 431 calories; 17 g fat (4 g sat, 8 g mono); 101 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 3 g fiber; 706 mg sodium; 794 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Potassium (23% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Magnesium & Vitamin C (15% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 fat

Sweet & Savory Beef Stew

from Eating Well, Oct. '08

Makes 2 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours

2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
8 ounces bottom-round beef, trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1/3 cup dried cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shallot to the pan; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Stir in thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds. Return the beef to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring often, until the flour browns, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth; scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in squash.
4. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Stir in cherries, cover and continue baking until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes more.
Makes 2 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 405 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 5 g fiber; 659 mg sodium; 977 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (390% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv), Potassium (28% dv), Iron (25% dv), Magnesium (20% dv).
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 3 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat