White meat and beans

I've decided that my husband needs to eat more fiber. 

I'm not sure that he agrees.

Fiber doesn't have a good reputation, and I can understand why.  Wheat bran cereal doesn't exactly get me excited, so I can't expect my husband to go running towards it.

But beans...now those are a bit different.  Beans are an amazing food.  They've got protein, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber...and they can be made to taste great.

So that was my challenge - to make my husband a fiber-filled bean dish that is hearty, satisfying, and extremely tasty. 



When we do eat beans, they are always red or black beans.  I decided to go with something different this time to add a bit of variety.  I got a pound of dry Great Northern beans and let them soak overnight.


The next morning I put my beans into my large (brand new) 6 quart slow cooker.  I love slow cooking - it makes the house smell amazing and makes my job really easy.

Over the beans, I poured 4 cups of chicken broth (I used reduced-sodium), 1 large chopped onion, 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.


I mixed everything together and then turned the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours.


At this point, I taste-tested my beans to see if I needed to adjust the spices.  I didn't think so, but it's always worth checking!

To make this dish hearty, I added a can of green chilies, a cup of chopped grilled chicken, and 1/2 of a link of turkey kielbasa (sliced up). 


I threw these in the pot and covered and cooked on low for another hour.

BAM!

(I've always wanted to do that...)


I love this dish served with a big piece of buttered cornbread.  My husband thinks it tastes best topped with salsa.  Either way, it makes white beans (and fiber!) taste good.


White Meat and Beans
1 lb. dry great northern beans
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 heaping t. minced garlic
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 t. ground coriander
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
4 oz. chopped green chilies
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken breast
1/2 link turkey kielbasa, sliced

Soak beans in water overnight; drain.  Place beans in slow cooker.  Cover with broth, onion, garlic, and seasonings.  Mix together and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Add chilies, chicken, and kielbasa; cook for another hour.  Serves 6.

Nutrition: 359 cal, 4g fat, 1g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 32mg cholesterol, 755mg sodium, 53g carbs, 16g fiber, 4g sugars, 29g protein, 1% vit. A, 23% vit. C, 17% calcium, 31% iron.

This recipe is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday , Tasty Tuesday, and Tuesdays at the Table