Farrotto — farro cooked low and slow until rich and creamy — gets a hearty, nourishing upgrade in this slow cooker bowl. Tender farro simmers in savory chicken stock until thick and satisfying, then gets topped with wilted kale, savory turkey sausage, and a handful of crunchy walnuts. It’s the kind of wholesome, filling bowl that works equally well for lunch or dinner, and reheats beautifully for easy meal prep throughout the week

Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Slow Cooker Kale and Sausage Farrotto Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups farro (semi-pearled)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups kale, roughly chopped
• Cooking spray
• 4 Italian turkey sausage links
• 4 tbsp walnuts

Directions

Place the farro and chicken stock in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the farro is tender and creamy.

Uncover and stir in the kale. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more, or until the greens are wilted.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the sausage links and cook, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into rounds.

Divide the farrotto among four bowls and top each with the sliced sausage and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 cup of farrotto, topped with 1 tbsp walnuts plus a link of sausage

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 514; Total Fat: 16g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 55mg; Sodium: 747mg; Carbohydrate: 62g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 29g

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium: 19%; Iron: 29%; Potassium: 412mg; Vitamin C: 20%

Originally published: January 24, 2021; Updated May 2026

The post Slow Cooker Kale and Sausage Farrotto Bowl appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

Frozen butternut squash cubes add body and nutrients to this simple one-pot macaroni and cheese. We’ve added chicken breast and baby kale to make this a complete meal. Substitute spinach or chopped chard if you like. By using whole-wheat macaroni, you can boost the fiber by around 3 grams per serving. (1)

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Creamy Mac n Cheese With Chicken and Baby Kale

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb (452g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size strips
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups (473g) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup (244g) 2% milk
• 1 10 oz. (283g) package frozen butternut squash
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/4 cups (252g) whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• 3 cups (128g) baby kale
• 1 1/4 cups (140g) sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or skillet set over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken. Season with the salt and pepper and cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Add the onions, stir and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Add the broth, milk, squash, mustard and bay leaf to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mash the squash with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Add the pasta and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring once. Fold in the chicken-onion mixture and kale with a rubber spatula, cover and cook until the kale has wilted, 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir the cheese and nutritional yeast into the pasta. Serve immediately.

Serves: 6 | Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 382; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g ; Cholesterol: 23mg; Sodium: 364mg; Carbohydrate: 42g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 34g

Originally published November 20, 2018; Updated February 2026

The post Creamy Mac n Cheese With Chicken and Baby Kale appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.