White Beans, Sausage, and Kale

Ingredients
1 pound (approx) smoked sausage
2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cans Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Two medium sized tomatoes, diced small
6 cups chopped kale

Directions
Brown the sausage in a little bit of olive oil in a Dutch oven.  Do not drain.  Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.  Add the broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the oregano, beans, and tomatoes.  Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.  Add the kale and cook just until the leaves are wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Serves 4

Source:  Adapted from It's My Side of Life

Greek Dressing

Add the following ingredients to a jar (I use a 6 ounce jar) and shake to combine.  Cover tightly and store at room temperature.  Shake to re-combine immediately before pouring.  This is best if it is allowed to sit for at least a couple of hours prior to serving.

1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
small squirt Dijon mustard

Source:  scaled down from AllRecipes.com

Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp coconut oil
balsamic vinegar, to taste
1 pound penne pasta
2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
7 ounces basil pesto (I used Trader Joe's)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Do not rinse!

Meanwhile, pound the chicken breast to an even thickness and season it with salt and pepper.  Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Saute the chicken until cooked through.  Brush or drizzle with balsamic vinegar and remove from heat.  Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.

Stir the pesto into the pasta.  Fold in the chicken, diced tomatoes, and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8