Monkey Cook: Asian Beans & Greens

I am a very experimental chef. I love reading cookbooks, but have a hard time sticking to the true directions (um, Monkey Brain?) In my early cooking days, this had somewhat disastrous results, but after a cooking class and many episodes of the FoodNetwork and Rachael Ray, I’m getting the hang of things. Josh is a very good eater, but also honest enough with me about my creations. This is a recent play on “Beans & Greens,” a classic Italian Dish, but it’s an Asian twist, and it was a success so I thought I’d share it with you. It takes 30 min or less to prepare, and very comforting on a cold winter night.

Asian Beans & Greens w/chicken sausage
1T Sesame Oil (canola would work as well)
2 small yellow onions (about the size of tennis balls), or 1 big one, halved then thirded (is that a word? Basically you want larger slices like you see in Chinese food)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated (add as much as you want if you love garlic)
1 large package Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend, or about 8 cups of chopped dark greens like kale, mustard or Swiss chard
1 can black beans
10 Aidell’s chicken teriyaki sausage (3-4 sliced chicken apple sausage links will work just fine as well, as would tofu)
1/4c teriyaki sauce or marinade (I used Soy Vey Brand)
1-2 c chicken stock
1 package ramen noodles (if you don’t have these around due to early pregnancy cravings, any pasta will do or even rice. I would estimate this recipe calls for 2 cups pasta or rice, but you could add more for sure)

1. If cooking pasta, or rice, put a large pot of water to boil (or start your rice cooker). If using ramen, you can do that at the last minute.
2. Once pasta/rice is cooking, heat the oil on med-high for 1 min in a deep skillet, wok, dutch oven, or large pot. .
3. Sauté the onion & garlic until the onion gets soft, 3 min or so.
4. Add the greens in batches as they may overwhelm the pot, and toss the greens with teriyaki sauce.
5. Add in chicken stock in half cup increments with each batch of greens to help them wilt. Cover and simmer for 5 min, until greens have wilted down by half.
6. While greens are wilting, drain and wash beans (to get rid of some of the salt). Add beans to the greens.
7. Add in chicken meatballs, turn off heat, and cover pot.
8. Once pasta/rice is done, fold into the beans/greens mixture. If you did steps 1-7 before your kid got home, you may need to reheat the meal once he goes to bed.
9. Eat.

Serves 4, or 2 with leftovers for 1 if one of you is pregnant.