Weekly Recipe #84: Kale, Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

The days of soup are upon us. The chill in the air turns thoughts to comforting, warming food and the kitchen seems cozy and inviting, just the place to watch over a simmering pot of soup. At the same time, the lively pace of autumn, with its new routines and plentiful events, necessitates quick meals for busy evenings.

To launch you into soup season, here's a hearty, fresh-tasting stew that's ridiculously speedy and convenient. This recipe is particularly great for using up big bunches of kale you might have from the garden or farmers market. Kale turns sweeter in cold weather, so it's reaching its top form now in fall.

Kale, Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
Adapted from a recipe from Real Simple
(Serves 4-6)

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 12-oz. package fully cooked chicken sausage links, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 14.5-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes (you can also use fresh tomatoes, if you have them on hand!)
1 large bunch kale leaves, torn into 2-inch pieces
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage and celery and cook, stirring once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Add the beans, broth and tomatoes (with their liquid) and bring to a boil.
5. Add the kale and salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Serve with a crusty baguette or loaf of country bread.

Hunger Action Month

By Gwen Hill MS, RD, LD

I recently learned that September is Hunger Action Month. Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity, is encouraging everyone to Speak Out Against Hunger. They created this memorable video “Hungry Kate,” which illustrates the ease in which hunger concerns can settle into households that never expected it.

The video encapsulates an all-too common situation. The breadwinner of the house loses their job, the savings are used up and then the credit cards are maxed out, all while trying to keep life as normal as possible for the kids. Eventually the home is foreclosed upon and the family is in a situation they never imagined they would be in -- where finding the money for food is a daily challenge. And then hunger sets in, causing a decrease in concentration, headaches, bellyaches, moodiness and fear. According to the USDA, 14.9% of Americans are struggling with hunger, showing that this is no small problem in our country.

How can you help combat hunger this month (and beyond)?

• Donate to your local food shelf. 
• Encourage those you know in this situation to apply for SNAP benefits.
• Share the “Hungry Kate” video with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or email. 
• Help people understand that there is more than one way that people end up in a situation where hunger is prominent.