White Bean and Kale Veggie Sauce

My simple pasta sauce, which is really more of a stew, took on a life of its own!

I started out wanting just to chop some veggies and then stir in some canned tomatoes, to make a quick and simple pasta sauce for our dinner.  It turned out to be so much more and so much better!

When I got out my large skillet and began cleaning and chopping vegetables, I decided to make enough sauce to have a few portions to freeze for future meals. It's always good to have something on hand to thaw for quick dinners or lunches, don't you think?

Then, when I decided to add some torn pieces of kale to the mix, I recalled a really nice kale and white bean soup that one of my Weight Watchers buddies told me about a few months back.  So I got out a can of white kidney beans, rinsed them,  and added them to my sauce pot.  By the time it was all cooked and ready to eat, I realized it was as thick as a stew.... and it was delicious.

I served it over pasta for The Captain, and cooked spaghetti squash for me, but I can easily envision it over cooked quinoa, or rice or even by itself with some cooked chicken or beef strips added to i,or on top of scrambled eggs or omelets.  It would probably even be good cold with cooked and cooled quinoa.

 



Kale and White Bean Veggie Sauce
Makes 13 half-cup servings

• 5 cloves garlic, peedled, smashed and minced
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium red pepper, cut into small pieces
• 2 mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup diced zucchini
• 3/4 cup torn kale leaves
• 1 - 15 oz. can of white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1-1/2 Tbs Italian herbs
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Coat a large skillet with non-stick spray and place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
2. Add garlic, onions, peppers and cook still translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms, zucchini and cook another 8 or 10 minutes till all veggies are cooked through.  You may need to turn heat to MEDIUM during this time so veggies do not burn. Add a bit of water to pan if things are sticking.
4. Add the kale leaves and beans, and cook a few minutes more till the kale leaves are limp.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and the Italian herbs,  Bring to a light boil then turn down to simmer and cover.  Meanwhile cook the pasta and the spaghetti squash - this will take about 10 minutes.
6. Plate the pasta and the spaghetti squash and then top with 2 or 3 ladles of the sauce.  If you like, garnish with a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.

Per 1 cup serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ - 3.  *
Calories 122;  Protein 7g;  Carbohydrate 23g;  Fat 0g; Fibre 6g.

*The amount of beans in a 1 cup serving of this sauce works out to Calories 68, Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 0g; Fibre 3g and is equal to only 1 P+ value in the N,.I. calculation.  It is up to you as to how you want to count this in your program.

This is such a filling and delicious sauce! 

Cooking the vegetables.

 

 

Adding the beans and tomatoes.

 

Served over spaghettini and topped with freshly grated parmesan.

 

And over spaghettti squash.  Enjoy!

 

 

Printable Recipe