Soba Noodles with Ground Chicken and Greens

Who decided that brussels sprouts are cool now? I feel like it’s starting to surpsass kale. Remember when everyone hated brussels [except me and my dad]? They were hated, generally steamed/boiled, and never, ever talked about. Now, they’re on absolutely every single trendy restaurant’s menu in at least one dish if not roasted on their own [with bacon]. Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing one of my favorite veggies hoisted into the spotlight, but I can’t help but feel like the awesome that is brussels is cheapened by the fact that it’s now the cool thing to eat.

In more important news, I’ve been eating a lot of things in bowls lately [and bagels, but that’s a whole other subject entirely]. They’re super comforting, rather forgiving, and you can put just about anything you want in them. Actually just putting anything in a bowl makes it feel more meal-like. My dad and I polished off 4 1/2 pounds of mussels this weekend. Meal. I threw chocolate chips and pomegranate seeds in a bowl of hot cereal. Meal. Putting popcorn in a bowl. Meal. Licking leftover batter out of a bowl. Meal.

Okay, so having a carb, a protein, and a vegetable helps make it a little more balanced and complex. An Asian dressing doesn’t hurt.

Inspiration: Sprouted Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 bunch tuscan kale
• 5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1o brussels sprouts
• 1/2lb ground chicken, cooked and drained of fat
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tamari [or soy sauce]
• 2-4 pinches red pepper flakes
• 8oz soba noodles
• 4 green onions, slivered

Preparation

Tear the leaves of the kale off the stems and clean and dry the leaves thoroughly. Bunch them up and slice with a knife into thin ribbons. Put the kale in a bowl and pour one teaspoon of toasted sesame oil over the top and sprinkle with salt. Massage the leaves so that ever piece is covered in oil. Slice the brussels into small shreds, and toss both greens together.

In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, rice vinegar, remaining sesame oil, and tamari. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss well to combine. Store in the fridge while you finish the noodles.

Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, drain them well, and toss them with the greens. Add the chicken. Top with sliced onion and red pepper flakes to taste.