Yes, it’s glorious to start out the week with a fridge brimming with gloriously healthy meals in perfect glass containers. But to be honest, in my opinion, getting to that point is such a chore!

I’ve spent entire Sundays meal-prepping for the week and wondered afterwards where half my weekend went. Sunday evening, I flop on the sofa in a heap, feeling like I’ve just prepared a Thanksgiving meal. No one wants to feel like they’ve prepared a Thanksgiving meal every single weekend! Well, at least not me.

A sneaky, much easier way to prep for me is to make a meal bigger than I need, then save the rest in the fridge or freezer. Another, less fancy word for this, I suppose, is “leftovers.” Leftovers are the best!

Also, I just like to make the meals I do make easy. This hearty, savory Sheet Pan Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Breakfast Hash works perfectly on both fronts.

It cooks up one sheet pan and also – if I’m the only one partaking – gives me three mornings’ worth of breakfasts. The first, hot out of the oven, and the next two days worth in the form of leftovers. No lost Sundays, just 30 minutes or so one morning – most of it hands off. Win!

I’ve found that for me, the most satisfying breakfasts with the most staying power involve lots of protein and fiber. Lentils or beans are perfect for that. Sweet potatoes – tossed in a few spices then roasted – lend a nice dose of carbs and vitamins. Lastly, some kale. Because kale!

I kind of feel like some avocado on the side is mandatory, not only because it adds some nice healthy fat to the equation, but also because it’s delicious. I also like a smattering of scallions, maybe some salted pepitas, and – if I really want a rib-sticking situation (vegans, avert your eyes) – perhaps a poached egg on top.

Go ahead, turn on your oven and give this one a try one morning. It’s worth it! Or make it on a Sunday for breakfasts during the week, because if you’re into it, this really is a great meal prep breakfast situation. And if you are into it, please know I envy your meal-prepping dedication and stamina and I wish I was you. 🙂

More Sheet Pan Recipes

• Sheet Pan Tofu & Veggies
• American Flag Sheet Cake
• Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Veggies & Sausage

More Breakfast Recipes with Avocado

• Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs
• Cucumber Hummus Avocado Toast
• Black Bean & Avocado Breakfast Scramble
• High Protein Vegan Breakfast Bowl
• Crunchy Vegetarian Breakfast Tacos

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Sheet Pan Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Breakfast Hash

An easy, hearty breakfast that cooks up on a sheet pan (and makes perfect leftovers for later in the week)!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato about 3/4 pound or 12 ounces, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded curly kale
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Suggested accompaniments:

• Sliced avocado
• Poached egg
• Salsa

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and pull out a large rimmed sheet pan.
• Place the cubed sweet potato on the sheet pan and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the top. Toss with a wooden spoon or (easier) your hands to distribute the oil and spices. Try to give each piece of sweet potato as much space as possible.
• Bake until tender and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Remove from oven and add the beans and kale to the pan. Toss with a wooden spoon to mix everything together. Place in oven for another 5 minutes until the beans are warmed through and the kale has wilted.
• Remove from oven. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with avocado, salsa, and/or a poached egg if desired.

Notes

Vegetarian option (if you’re a vegetarian who eats eggs):

Add a poached egg if desired.

The post Sheet Pan Vegetarian Breakfast Hash appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why Massage Kale?
• Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad Ingredients
• How to Make Kale Chickpea Salad
  • First, Massage the Kale
  • Toss the Chickpeas in Dressing
  • Assemble the Salad
• More Kale Salad Recipes

• Jump to the full, printable recipe
• Read reviews and comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

See, I used to be unsure about the whole massaged kale thing – I mean, I’ve always liked unmassaged kale just fine.

But I’m doing this culinary certificate thing and one of the early assignments was to try kale three different ways: unmassaged, massaged with lemon juice and olive oil, and massaged with avocado.

Lo and behold, I had to admit that I really, really adore massaged kale salad – especially massaged kale salad with avocado.

Why Massage Kale?

Massaging kale takes care of a couple of things:

1. It breaks down the fibers, making it easier to chew and digest.
2. It takes away some of that bitter “green” taste that some kale-haters dislike.

A side benefit to massaging your kale salad is that you’re seasoning/dressing your salad at the same time you are massaging it. Win-win!

When you massage kale for salad, you add de-ribbed leaves to a large bowl along with a fat, an acid, and salt.

• Fat: Helps tenderize and coat the kale leaves
• Salt: Aids the tenderizing process
• Acid: Really helps break down those fibers.

Then, you squeeze, massage, and toss around the kale until tender and perfect!

Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad Ingredients

This chickpea kale salad massages the kale with avocado, tops it with a simply dressed chickpea salad, and then it’s plopped with a few slices of avocado for good measure. Plus, I like a few sunflower seeds for crunch.

• Kale – I like curly kale for this kale chickpea salad, but any kale will do.
• Avocado – use half for massaging the kale, and the other half sliced on the salad.
• Lemon juice – some for massaging, some for dressing the chickpeas
• Salt & freshly ground pepper – some salt for massaging, plus, of course, loads of flavor!
• Chickpeas – One can or about 1 1/2 cups cooked
• Olive oil, dijon mustard, and pure maple syrup – To finish out the chickpea dressing. So good!
• Red onion – for a little pizzazz and color
• Sunflower seeds – I love a sprinkling of salty roasted sunflower seeds for crunch.

How to Make Kale Chickpea Salad

First, Massage the Kale

To massage your kale, strip out the ribs and tear your kale into bite-size pieces. Add to a large bowl along with the avocado, lemon juice, and a bit of salt.

And then, with clean hands, squeeze and rub and manhandle the kale until it’s reduced in size and tender. This process usually takes just a couple of minutes. 

Unmassaged (left); massaged (right)

Your kale enjoyed a nice little trip to the spa before you chomp it down. Massaging for the win!

Toss the Chickpeas in Dressing

Mix the chickpeas with the onion, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, pure maple syrup, and salt and pepper.

Assemble the Salad

Divide the kale between plates, top with chickpeas, and arrange the remaining avocado over the salads. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve!

More Kale Salad Recipes

I love kale salad! Here are a few more kale salad recipes on Kitchen Treaty:

• Lemon Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds – a wonderful salad with a make-ahead option
• Winter Kale Salad – super hearty, cobb-ish salad.
• Rainbow Kale Salad – so colorful!
• Kale Caesar Salad with Kalamata Caesar Dressing – love this one so much.

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Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad

The 10-minute meal I can't stop making: Kale massaged with avocado then topped with a simple chickpea salad and more avocado. (More avocado is always a good thing, am I right?)

Course Salad

Keyword salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 482kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe avocado halved, divided) (you'll massage half with the kale, the other half will be sliced for the salad
• 1 medium bunch curly kale rinsed, dried, and stems removed) (about 8 cups loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice from approx. 1 medium lemon, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups cooked)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion about 1/4 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons roasted salted sunflower seeds

Instructions

• Squeeze half the avocado out of its shell and into a large bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the kale, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. And, with clean hands, dig in! Squeeze and rub the kale until it's reduced in size and tender, 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
• To a medium bowl, add the chickpeas, onion, olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well-combined.
• Divide kale between three plates. Top with chickpeas. Slice remaining avocado and arrange on top of the salads. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over the top. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the chickpea salad ahead of time, but due to the avocado and the fact that it usually does not keep well, I recommend doing the massaged kale and avocado right before serving.

Meat option:

Top meat-eaters’ portions with some cooked, cubed chicken.

Vegetarian (dairy) option:

Top individual portions with 2 tablespoons each crumbled feta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 1275mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 13526IU | Vitamin C: 139mg | Calcium: 432mg | Iron: 7mg

The post Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

What do you do when you’ve a hankering for black bean soup, but you only have half the amount of black beans you need? You make up a new recipe, that’s what. And you also get to use the word “hankering” – bonus!

If black bean soup is awesome, black and white bean soup is bound to be awesome too, right? Well, maybe it’s not a guarantee … but I kind of think this Jalapeno Black Bean & White Bean Soup is, indeed, awesome. And I hope you do too.

This is basically a version of my favorite black bean soup recipe (that I have yet to share – criminal, I know), but with half the black beans swapped out for white. The result? Something somehow richer, and definitely creamier, than its predecessor.

I’ve had a run of weak jalapenos lately, so this time, I put the whole thing in, seeds and all. It was the perfect level of heat for us. Tread lightly if you’re wary of too much heat, though. Perhaps start with the flesh and a couple of seeds. Or, if you love the heat, just go all in. You can always cool it down with a dollop of sour cream (vegan if you like), after all.

The toppings are a must. Sour cream, cheese if you do dairy (or a vegan cheese, even, if you don’t), creamy avocado, and/or cilantro. Yes please.

It’s a black and white issue: this soup is tasty!

Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.

(more…)

The post Jalapeno Black Bean & White Bean Soup appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I’m all for powering up her immune system, so, you know, it’s all good when they’re just back-to-back minor colds. And us adults are learning to live life with a perpetual case of the sniffles as well. Goodness knows it’s all worth it, 100 gazillion times over.

When a cold really gets us down, though, nothing hits the spot like a piping-hot bowl of brothy soup. I have a chicken noodle/just plain noodle soup I like to make, but lately I’ve been turning to this one instead: rosemary white bean soup.

I don’t know if it’s the nice light vegetable broth, the good strong hit of rosemary, or the nice bits of garlic with its medicinal goodness, but this soup works some great chicken-noodle-soup-like magic on a bad cold.

It also works magic on a nice, chilly evening with some crusty buttered bread alongside – even when everyone’s perfectly healthy. Or as lunch on a blustery afternoon. Or packed in a thermos to sip after a long walk on a cold beach. I haven’t done that, but it certainly sounds marvelous, so maybe I should (well, maybe after I get over this dang nagging cough).

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Rosemary White Bean Soup with Optional Chicken

This vegetable broth-based soup is the perfect cure for what ails you. I think of it as the perfect vegetarian substitute for sick-day chicken noodle soup; of course, you can add back the chicken to a portion for the meat-eaters. Either way, it's light yet hearty - and simply delicious.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

If adding chicken to half:

• 1/2 cup cooked diced chicken

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil (and butter if using) and cook until melted. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5-6 minutes.
• Gently stir in the rosemary, garlic, and beans, and cook for another minute. Add broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Transfer about 3 cups to a separate saucepan and add chicken. Bring to a simmer. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Food Network

The post Rosemary White Bean Soup with Optional Chicken appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I’m not complaining; it’s never really complaining. I wouldn’t trade this for the world. It’s just … a whole new world. One in which we are learning that apparently you have to teach tiny people how to go to sleep on their own. So far we don’t seem to be the greatest teachers, but I’d like to think we make up for it in love. And patience.

One of the many things we’ve tried over these past few months is moving our little one’s bedtime to earlier in the evening. It helped, but it also meant that my guy hardly got to see his little gal before we started up with bath, books, and lullabies. So he started going to work earlier, so that he can get home earlier, so he can spend more time with our sweetie who now goes to bed earlier.

Which means that he has to get up really, really, really early. Which means there’s no time for breakfast. And that’s how we started up with these, the point of this whole scintillating sob story: Grab & Go Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches.

I know, I know. It’s not like we’re going to win any awards for ingenuity or anything here. But I still wanted to share, because dang, these things really are a great way to get a rib-sticking, hearty breakfast down the hatch with no effort at all when it’s 5:30 in the morning and you’re in a mad scramble for the door.

My bagel breakfast sandwiches consist simply of egg and cheese; his have bacon too. Or mine can have veggie sausage and his can have sausage sausage.

We make up a mad pile of them, a dozen or more at a time. We wrap them all  in foil, label them, and stick them in a gallon-sized freezer bag for easy storage.

It’s basically the only way my guy is going to get bacon on weekday mornings, so he’s totally down with this whole grab & go plan.

Here’s how we make them.

Oh, and P.S.: Happy Halloween! These aren’t remotely Halloween-ish, I’m sorry about that … unless I tell you they’re “scary good.” So I think I’ll go with that. (Have a blast today!)

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Grab & Go Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches

These bagel breakfast sandwiches stay in the freezer, just waiting to become a hearty breakfast on those busy mornings when you hardly have time to think, let alone get in a solid breakfast before you head out the door. Just grab one out of the freezer and go. They're perfect for mixed-diet households, too - just leave the meat off of the vegetarian sandwiches.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 1 sandwich

Author Kare

Ingredients

For each sandwich:

• 1 bagel sliced in half
• 1 large egg
• 1 slice cheese of your choice we generally use cheddar
• 1-2 slice s of bacon, cooked, drained, and cooled
• Pinch salt & pepper

Instructions

• Toast the bagel in the toaster and set aside.
• Crack the egg into a microwave-safe bowl that's roughly the same diameter of your bagel. Add the salt and pepper. Whisk until beaten well. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 60 seconds or until the egg is cooked through.
• With a spoon, loosen the egg and place it on one half of the bagel. Top with bacon, if using, and cheese.
• Top the bagel with the other half and place in a square of foil. Wrap well, label with a permanent marker, and place in a freezer storage bag. They should keep well for a at least a couple of months.
• To heat and eat, remove sandwich from freezer and unwrap. Wrap a paper towel around the sandwich and microwave for about 45 seconds on high. Turn over and microwave for another 15 seconds until heated through. Microwave ovens vary, so yours may take less (or more) time. Be careful not to overcook.

The post Grab & Go Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.