Wheat berries with kale, chicken, and red beans, that's what! This bowl of delicious is high in protein and fiber, but the bacon makes up for that. Kidding! It's very healthy and low on the glycemic index for those watching your sugar intake. The wheat berries and kidney beans provide some body,with plenty of good-carby substance to fill you up. You will require a grilling apparatus. I used the ol' Foreman because it was 39 degrees outside and I wanted to keep the heat in the apartment. Recipe? Here you go:
Cooking time: 45 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
3/4 C wheat berries (Available in most bulk food sections; "red spring" is softer than "white winter".)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
splash of balsamic vinegar
splash of soy sauce
1 bunch kale of your choice (Lacinato, dinosaur, Italian, purple, etc.)
1 large apple of your choice (I used Fuji)
3 slices bacon (I used Hempler's uncured bacon and was disappointed...go for the good stuff.)
1" knob fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
8 oz chicken stock (You make your own and freeze it in ice cube trays too, right? Right?)
splash of apple cider vinegar
1 can kidney beans
two shakes Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
one good shake ground cinnamon
salt
pepper
Place the wheat berries in a medium-sized pot and cover with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil on high heat, turn down to medium-low heat, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Meanwhile...
Place chicken boobs in a Ziploc bag or reusable container with lid. Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, shake to coat, and set aside to marinate. Rinse the kale and remove the large stem from each leaf. Roughly chop into 2-3" pieces and set aside. Place bacon in a large saute pan or wok and cook on medium heat until bacon is brown and fat has rendered out, about 10 minutes. Mince the garlic and ginger. Core and dice the apple. Remove bacon from the pan and place on paper towel to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan - save the rest in the fridge for cooking your eggs in the morning (yum). Add garlic and ginger to reserved bacon fat and cook on medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the bacon-y goodness, until lightly browned (but not burned), about 5 minutes. Add the apple, 6 oz of the chicken stock, and the apple cider vinegar. Cook until the apples start to soften, another 5 minutes. Then add the kale and gently toss. It will seem as though your pan is much too small. Don't worry - soon your kale will wilt and shrink. Cook the kale mixture another 5 minutes until the greens are tender, then turn heat to low. Now go preheat your grill.
In a small pot, place the drained and rinsed kidney beans, the remaining 2 oz of chicken stock, the cinnamon, the Chipotle Tabasco, and a good pinch each of salt and ground pepper. Cook on medium-low heat until the beans barely start to burst, about 7-10 minutes. Cover and turn heat to low. While the beans are cooking, drain your cooked wheat berries and add them to the kale mixture. Crumble the bacon over the wheat and kale. Toss and season generously with salt and pepper. Keep it on low heat...no one likes a cold dinner.
Remove your boobs from the marinade and slap 'em on the grill. Grill 3-4 minutes per side, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Then remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Do not slice your chicken too soon...this causes the juices to run out, leaving you with dry meat.
Warm up some shallow pasta bowls (or plates). Spoon on a generous helping of wheat berries and kale, then top with red beans and sliced chicken breast. Enjoy!
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