"Bean" there, done that

Well, it's Tuesday night, which is a designated running night for me - now that I'm back to running after recovering from a broken toe - so this meal has to come together fast. Almost as fast as I wish I could run! This is when it pays off to have beans cooked, portioned out, and waiting for you in the freezer. Of course, you can always go the canned route. In which case it pays off to have a well-stocked pantry.

Tonight's dish hails from an old issue of Real Simple magazine (October 2006). I'm the kind of cook who likes trying new recipes so don't have many recipes that are entrenched in my repertoire. But this one's an exception. The recipe calls for cannellini beans, but I prefer pinto beans as they impart some sort of smokiness that makes me feel this stew has been simmering for hours even though it only takes 15 minutes. As far as the recipe's optional ingredients of either balsamic vinegar or parmesan, I use both, always. Why let an opportunity pass you by when you can make something good taste even better!

Cannellini Bean Stew

2 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
6 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan (optional)

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, bring the beans, broth, garlic, bay leaf, and carrots to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute. Spoon the stew into bowls. Drizzle with the oil. If desired, add either some vinegar or Parmesan.

My note: If you are using your own cooked beans and not those from a can, use 3 cups of cooked beans for this recipe.

Classic Combo: Rice & Beans

A perfect pairing. Together rice and beans give you a complete protein so another great way to bring a well-balanced vegetarian meal into your diet. Flavourful, economical, and quick to put together. From time to time I cook up a big batch of dried beans and then portion them out in 2-cup measures, pop into Ziploc bags and tuck in my freezer. Two cups works well because that's equivalent to a 19-oz can if that's what your recipe calls for. Freezing works well so they're ready when you need them and the bonus is they defrost very quickly (especially if you freeze them flat), which is handy on those days when you decide to use them at the last minute.

Tonight's Rice and Bean Salad with Cashews was our main course and the recipe hails from the cook book "Enlightened Eating" by Caroline Marie DuPont. All the recipes in her book are either vegetarian or vegan. I've only had the book a short while, but have managed to make a lot from it including all 19 of her salad recipes. Below is her recipe with some additional notes and asides from me.

Dressing: 2 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vingar, 1 tablespoon tamari, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Put all dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

Salad: 2 cups of cooked and cooled brown rice (a great way to use up leftover rice or make more than you need one night for dinner so you have leftovers to put this meal together in just 10 minutes the next night), 1 cup red kidney beans (I always put in 2 cups), 3 green onions (sliced), 2 celery stalks (chopped), 1/4 cup chopped Italian/flat leaf parsley (NEVER buy curly parsley! It has no flavour!), and 1/2 cup coarsley chopped raw cashews (raw meaning unsalted and not roasted). Put all the salad ingredients on top of the dressing you've mixed in a bowl and toss it up. This salad tastes best when it's at room temperature.

This recipe is versatile. You could certainly replace the red kidney beans and brown rice for any bean and rice combination your prefer.