KALE, CARROT, HAM AND BLACK BEAN SLOW COOKED

KALE, CARROT, HAM AND BLACK BEAN SLOW COOKED

I served with a biscuit

Salty ham and Black beans stand up to the hearty taste of Kale in this all in one- side dish or entree dish.  Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. It has potent anti-cancer properties. It comes in a few varieties, such as curly or plain leafed and sometimes found with purple leaves which is more uncommon than the green leaf variety.

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    6-8 OZ piece of cooked ham, cut into small cubes

    1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

    1 small onion, chopped

    3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

    1 cup water

    1 teaspoon minced garlic

    1 small carrot shredded

    ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to heat desired)

    Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the Kale and by running your knife down the side of the stem, cut off the leaves and discard the stems. Chop the leaves well.

Add the olive oil to the pan and heat to medium and add the onion and garlic.  

   Add the remaining ingredients and place on a low heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the flavors have melded and the leaves are tender.

Serve as a side dish or as a main course with a nice piece of bread or corn bread.

TIPS:

• ·        Make a very large pot and use the leftovers as a base for a soup.

• ·        Leftovers will freeze well.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!