I bought something new at the grocery store over the weekend.

Big surprise, right?

I decided to try Kasia’s Deli Sauerkraut Pierogies.

I like sauerkraut. I like pierogies. I have to like sauerkraut pierogies.

Right?

Wrong!

This is what they looked like shortly after I tried my first bite…

I swear, I really wanted to like them. Things just didn’t work out between us. Luckily, it was a clean break.

It’s not you, Kasia’s Sauerkraut Pierogies. It’s me. All me.

However, I made the most delicious vegetarian Italian beans and greens! Please ignore the ugly, gross pierogies residing on the other side of the plate. I was going to crop them because I hated them too much, but I didn’t want to ruin the picture of my beautiful beans and greens.

These are so good. You have to make them.

Vegetarian Italian Beans & Greens

Buy It:
8 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on preference. I love garlic)
1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large bunches swiss chard, collard, or mustard greens (or your favorite green)
1 bunch of kale
2 cups No Chicken broth (or veggie broth of choice)
4 veggie Italian “sausage” links
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used canned, unsalted)
1 can butter beans (or white beans of choice)
1 tsp chili powder (or more if you are feeling the heat)
Salt & pepper to taste

Prep It:
1) Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves. In case you haven’t learned from PW the easiest way to accomplish this, here goes. Take each garlic clove, and smash it with the bottom of a can (ie…the butter bean can). After you have smashed the clove, your can will look like this:

p.s…Now that you are aware of this trick, all of your cans are going to look like this going forward. I’m sorry. That’s just how it must be.

So, after you’ve smashed all of the cloves, the outside “skin” peels off easily. After peeling off the “skin”, slice all of the cloves lengthwise. After slicing them lengthwise, turn the slices sideways, and then slice them the opposite way. From there, just chop the daylights out of them until the garlic is finely chopped. Piece of cake.

2) After smashing and chopping the garlic, roughly chop the onion (to your preference).

3) Chop all of the greens into strips, cutting against the direction of the center vein.

Cook It:
1) Heat up the olive oil, and cook half of the garlic and all of the onion until the onions are just barely soft.

2) Add all of the greens on top of the onions and garlic, and pour in the broth. Cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the greens wilt and begin to cook down. Stir once half way through to combine everything.

3) Add the remaining garlic, veggie sausage, tomatoes and chili powder.

4) Cover, and continue cooking on medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the can of beans.

Enjoy.

And please eat all of them if you’re hungry. They’re good for you.