Penne with Cannellini Beans, Kale, and Turkey Bacon

When I started library school last week, one of the pieces of career advice that kept coming up from second-year master's students and profs was to start a blog.  "Terrific!" I thought.  "I'm already all over that."  But then I realized that they meant a blog about library school.  Oh well.  As a wise man once said, "I've gotta be me."

So here's my first post from library school land.  Per graduate school requirements, all I'm craving is pasta all the time.  But I thought I'd switch it up from my usual red-sauced staple.  I had a can of cannellini beans in the pantry, so I started there.  With the addition of kale and turkey bacon, this dish makes for a slightly spicy and satisfying meal.  Plus, you can always leave out the turkey bacon for a vegan meal.

 You'll need:

1 cup whole wheat pasta (or white pasta, totally your choice)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. kale, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed

4 strips of fully-cooked turkey bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips

Salt, to taste

Using a large skillet, heat olive oil for about 30 seconds.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring for about 30 seconds or until the red pepper just starts to become aromatic.

Add half of the kale and sauté until it just starts to wilt.  Then add the rest of the kale, stirring until the entirety is wilted.  Then add the cannellini beans, stirring well for about 30 seconds, until warm.  Add the turkey bacon to the mixture, stirring well for about a minute, until each piece becomes crisp.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook for the minimum amount of time recommended on the package.  Drain well, then add to the pan of kale and beans.  Over low heat, incorporate the pasta into the kale and bean mixture.

This should make about four servings, so Tupperware it up!  Happy eating!