Want a work-night alternative to a stop at the grocery store deli for rotisserie chicken and fixings?Try this menu, developed by Johnson County Community College chef apprentice Loan Ha. Its packed with flavor and nutrients, and it goes together in about an hour if you plan ahead and soak the dried beans.Ha suggests getting the chicken in the oven first, followed by the golden beets.Clean the kale so its ready to go when its time to sauté, then peel and cook the kohlrabi. Once its on the stove, youll want to start cooking the beans.While the chicken is resting after its removed from the oven, finish the bean and puree recipes.Not familiar with kohlrabi? Its a member of the cabbage family. The bulb is actually the plants stem. It can be eaten raw or cooked. If the greens are attached to the bulb when you purchase it, try cooking them using your favorite collard greens recipe.Kale, too, is a member of the cabbage family and has come to be regarded as a nutrition powerhouse. Its a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. Dont buy kale too far in advance, and choose kale with a bright green color. Youll want to remove the tough stems before cooking.Agave nectar may be a new ingredient, as well. It comes from the agave, or century plant. You can find it in the health food section of most grocery stores. It adds a sweet taste to the butter bean recipe.Want your chicken to come out of the oven in great shape? Ha suggests these three tips to success: 1. Tuck the wings under the bird. 2. Cut a slit in the tail skin 3. Cross legs, insert top leg through the slice in the tail skin.<hr><h3>Roasted Chicken With Fresh Oregano and White Pepper</h3>Makes 2 servings1 (3 1/2-pound) roasting chicken1/2 medium yellow onion1 small carrot1 rib celery3 sprigs oregano1 tablespoon ground white pepper (preferrably ground by hand with mortar and pestle)1 teaspoon kosher saltHeat oven to 350 degrees. Wash chicken, inside and out. Pat dry. Fill cavity with onion, carrot, celery and oregano. Tuck wings under. Make slit in tail skin; cross chicken legs and insert top leg through slice to keep bird in proper shape for roasting. Season with white pepper and kosher salt.Place in a 12-by-12-inch roasting pan; place pan in preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 degrees and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until the leg joints are loose in the sockets and internal temperature registers 165 degrees.Remove from oven and let rest, covered, for 20 minutes before serving. Per serving: 757 calories (61 percent from fat), 50 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 252 milligrams cholesterol, 8 grams carbohydrates, 64 grams protein, 1,189 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.<hr><h3>Butter Beans Sautéed With Braised Kale</h3>Makes 2 servings1 cup dried butter beans or 1 (14.5-ounce) can butter beans, rinsed and drained 4 cups chicken stock, divided1 bay leaf1 sprig thyme1 tablespoon olive oil1 1/2 pounds kale (about 2 bunches), washed and center stem removed1 clove minced garlic1/4 cup apple cider vinegar1/8 cup agave nectarSalt and pepper to tasteTwo days before serving, place dried butter beans in water. Soak for two days, changing the water each day.Place soaked beans in 2-quart saucepan with 3 cups chicken stock. Tie bay leaf and thyme into a sachet; add to pot with beans. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain. Cover and set aside.In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add kale leaves. Add garlic and toss lightly; do not brown the garlic. Add vinegar and agave nectar; simmer until almost dry. Add 1 cup chicken stock and simmer until tender, about 7 minutes. Add cooked butter beans, and keep warm until ready to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.Per serving: 653 calories (18 percent from fat), 15 grams total fats (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 105 grams carbohydrates, 52 grams protein, 243 milligrams sodium, 32 grams dietary fiber.<hr><h3>Roasted Yellow Beet and Kohlrabi Puree</h3>Makes 2 servings2 large golden beets, about 12 ounces2 large kohlrabi, about 12 ounces, peeled1 tablespoon olive oilSalt and pepperPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub beets with oil and place in small roasting pan. Roast beets for 20 minutes or until tender.Remove from oven and let cool just enough to touch. With towel, remove skin. Set aside.Place kohlrabi bulb in lightly salted water in 1 quart saucepan and boil until tender. Remove from water and dry.Place beets and kohlrabi in blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Per serving: 155 calories (38 percent from fat), 7 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 21 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 123 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.

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Cooking 101 | Simple Chicken Dinner With a Twist

Kohlrabi, kale and beets add some unusual variety to a typical meal.

ABOUT THE COLUMN

Cooking 101 is a bimonthly column exclusive to The Star designed to introduce home cooks to basic cooking techniques. The recipe, food styling and photography involve culinary students and instructors in the Johnson County Community College Hospitality Management classes.

THE STYLIST

Food styling by Loan Ha, 34, a second-semester student in the Johnson County Community College Hospitality Management program. She is an apprentice at Ameristar Casino in Kansas City.

More News

Want a work-night alternative to a stop at the grocery store deli for rotisserie chicken and fixings?

Try this menu, developed by Johnson County Community College chef apprentice Loan Ha. It’s packed with flavor and nutrients, and it goes together in about an hour if you plan ahead and soak the dried beans.

Ha suggests getting the chicken in the oven first, followed by the golden beets.

Clean the kale so it’s ready to go when it’s time to sauté, then peel and cook the kohlrabi. Once it’s on the stove, you’ll want to start cooking the beans.

While the chicken is resting after it’s removed from the oven, finish the bean and puree recipes.

Not familiar with kohlrabi? It’s a member of the cabbage family. The bulb is actually the plant’s stem. It can be eaten raw or cooked. If the greens are attached to the bulb when you purchase it, try cooking them using your favorite collard greens recipe.

Kale, too, is a member of the cabbage family and has come to be regarded as a nutrition powerhouse. It’s a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. Don’t buy kale too far in advance, and choose kale with a bright green color. You’ll want to remove the tough stems before cooking.

Agave nectar may be a new ingredient, as well. It comes from the agave, or century plant. You can find it in the health food section of most grocery stores. It adds a sweet taste to the butter bean recipe.

Want your chicken to come out of the oven in great shape? Ha suggests these three tips to success:

1. Tuck the wings under the bird.

2. Cut a slit in the tail skin

3. Cross legs, insert top leg through the slice in the tail skin.

Roasted Chicken With Fresh Oregano and White Pepper

Makes 2 servings

1 (3 1/2-pound) roasting chicken

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 small carrot

1 rib celery

3 sprigs oregano

1 tablespoon ground white pepper (preferrably ground by hand with mortar and pestle)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash chicken, inside and out. Pat dry. Fill cavity with onion, carrot, celery and oregano. Tuck wings under. Make slit in tail skin; cross chicken legs and insert top leg through slice to keep bird in proper shape for roasting. Season with white pepper and kosher salt.

Place in a 12-by-12-inch roasting pan; place pan in preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 degrees and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until the leg joints are loose in the sockets and internal temperature registers 165 degrees.

Remove from oven and let rest, covered, for 20 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 757 calories (61 percent from fat), 50 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 252 milligrams cholesterol, 8 grams carbohydrates, 64 grams protein, 1,189 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Butter Beans Sautéed With Braised Kale

Makes 2 servings

1 cup dried butter beans or 1 (14.5-ounce) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken stock, divided

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds kale (about 2 bunches), washed and center stem removed

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup agave nectar

Salt and pepper to taste

Two days before serving, place dried butter beans in water. Soak for two days, changing the water each day.

Place soaked beans in 2-quart saucepan with 3 cups chicken stock. Tie bay leaf and thyme into a sachet; add to pot with beans. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain. Cover and set aside.

In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add kale leaves. Add garlic and toss lightly; do not brown the garlic. Add vinegar and agave nectar; simmer until almost dry. Add 1 cup chicken stock and simmer until tender, about 7 minutes. Add cooked butter beans, and keep warm until ready to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 653 calories (18 percent from fat), 15 grams total fats (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 105 grams carbohydrates, 52 grams protein, 243 milligrams sodium, 32 grams dietary fiber.

Roasted Yellow Beet and Kohlrabi Puree

Makes 2 servings

2 large golden beets, about 12 ounces

2 large kohlrabi, about 12 ounces, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub beets with oil and place in small roasting pan. Roast beets for 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove from oven and let cool just enough to touch. With towel, remove skin. Set aside.

Place kohlrabi bulb in lightly salted water in 1 quart saucepan and boil until tender. Remove from water and dry.

Place beets and kohlrabi in blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 155 calories (38 percent from fat), 7 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 21 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 123 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.