Chorizo, Kale, and Sweet Potato Stew

A. JoAnn

7 years ago

chorizo stew in blue bowl

My friend, Anne (of Turkey Chili fame), inspired me to concoct this spicy chorizo, kale, and sweet potato stew. I know there are kale haters out there; I actually developed a liking for the stuff. It took time though, because there are things about kale that I don’t like:

You must remove those big stems, even on the chopped, washed, and “ready-to-eat” kind.
Unless it’s baby kale, chop it small because the leaves are tough.
Imo, baby kale lacks the flavor of adult kale.
Raw kale “softened’ with vinaigrette is great, lightly sautéed kale is good, but cooked kale is kind of blah.

I wish I had remembered that last bullet point when I made this stew. I would have put the kale in later, after the sweet potato had cooked through.

Keto by Any Other Name

Ketogenic diets are the rage right now. I feel that, aside from the new name, it’s just a harder to follow Atkins diet with all of the attendant problems. Are you going to live your life without fruits and many veggies? Will you forever skip whole grains and legumes, even though they are nutritious?

Yes, you will lose weight fast (just like Atkins). You will cut out refined carbohydrates (a good thing) and increase beneficial fats (another good thing), but you can’t do this forever.

My aim is to cut out refined foods, increase the plants in my diet, and include enough fat to keep me sated.

Tastes Change

Our tastes change over time for a variety of reasons. I used to drink multiple cups of coffee every day. I still love the taste, but my stomach doesn’t. Sigh.

It may be that some spices don’t agree with you anymore. Chorizo is very spicy, and that makes it satisfying. If you can’t do spicy, just substitute your favorite lean sausage. You can cut even more fat from this recipe by using turkey or chicken sausage, and a non-stick pot.

The chorizo I used is from a local producer, and it’s really good stuff. There is 12g of fat in a 2.5 oz. serving. It’s actually leaner than the hamburger I used in my Shepard’s Pie the other day.

Can’t find a lower fat sausage? Try a chicken or turkey variety. You can also cut out fat by skimming the solids off the top of the stew after it has cooled in the fridge.

Sweet Potatoes Are, Well, Sweet!

NPR recently did a story on the increase in sales (and, thus, cultivation) of sweet potatoes in the US. Seems everything old is new again.

A lot of fad diets incorporate sweet potatoes. That isn’t a draw for me, but nutrient density is – and sweet potatoes have a fabulous profile.

So, let’s get cooking!