Sautéed Cannellini Bean Quick Bowl

Ingredients:

1 bunch (12 ounces / 340 grams)Tuscan kale (also known as dinosaur kale or lacinato kale) stems removed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 can Cannellini beans

2-3 tablespoons liquid from Cannellini beans, reserved

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces / 45 grams) walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped

2 heirloom purple peppers, sliced into a thick julienne (If you don't have a farmer's market nearby from whence to purchase these, you can use regular bell peppers, or even garlic. )

5-10 drops of Lemon essential oil (It seems like a lot, but the earthiness of the beans and kale requires a good amount of citrusy brightness.)

1/3 cup (1/2 ounce / 15 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain can of beans, reserving 2-3 tablespoons of liquid.
2. Rinse beans and shake off as much as water as possible.
3. Lay beans out on a paper towel in a single layer and gently press another paper towel on top of them to get off even more water.
4. Chop the kale, wash it, and shake off as much water as you can.
5. Set aside.
6. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the widest skillet you own.
7. Add the beans in a single layer.
8. Stir to coat the beans, then let them sit long enough to brown lightly on one side, about 3 or 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes.
9. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside.
10. Add purple peppers and saute until tender-crisp.
11. Add the kale and salt to the pan and cook for less than a minute, just long enough for the kale to lose a bit of its structure.
12. Stir in the walnuts, wait ten seconds, and add desired amount of Lemon essential oil.
13. If the mix seems too dry, add the reserved liquid from beans and stir, then remove from heat.
14. Enjoy as is or see below: 

Recommended Mix-ins:

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Cheese