Healthy Recipe of the Month - March 2006
By Nancy Rogers, MS, RD

In search of the perfect dinner meal....
It's 5pm and I'm leaving the UA campus and heading home after a long day. There will be waiting for me a hungry husband, and probably one or two miscellaneous visitors, maybe my own adult children, a neighbor, or a friend. So what will I fix that's quick, tasty, healthy, and uses ingredients that are easily found in the grocery store? Here's the perfect choice - a tried and true chicken and kale recipe, developed by BoneBuilders.

Now before you turn away from a relatively obscure vegetable called kale, let me tell you a little bit about it. Kale has dark green leaves that are very high in nutrients, supplying 90 mg of calcium per ½ cup cooked portion with 4810 iu of Vitamin A, and only 20 calories. Kale is part of the cabbage family, and is considered a cruciferous vegetable, which may have properties to help prevent some cancers. And it's inexpensive! So try this recipe in the next few weeks and let me know how you like it! Send me an email.

Chicken and Kale

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: around 10-15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz), cut in 1" cubes
• 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale (about 10-12 cups), washed and chopped
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until transparent, stirring constantly. Add kale, and when it begins to wilt, add the chicken, mushrooms and seasonings. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve along-side whole wheat rolls and instant brown rice, with applesauce topped with cinnamon for dessert, and you have a great tasting and healthy meal!

Nutrition Information (per serving):

References:
Bowes and Church: Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 17th edition, 1998.
The American Dietetic Association's: Complete Food & Nutrition Guide. 1998.