one of my favorite dishes is white bean stew with beef or lamb garlic and sage. it includes the simplest of ingredients and preparation but is so satisfying. if you have access to white cannellini beans (canned or in a jar) at your store that is my favorite type of white bean to use. if not you can use a white navy bean. beans are one of the few items out of a can that i fully encourage to use. most of us don’t have time to make beans from their dried form. having extra cans in the pantry allows for a weeknight dinner in less than 20 minutes of cook time and about five minutes of prep time. first you will want to get beef lamb or pork and cut into two-inch chunks. (you can buy stew meat or a more tender piece of meat like the loin). if you use a stew meat note that the meat will have a chewier texture than if you were to make a dish that you slow cook for hours. for me i don’t mind this texture for the time i save. you will need a pot that can hold two cans of beans and about one pound of meat. first salt and pepper your meat. heat a bit of extra virgin olive oil in the pan and brown your meat. at this point you can add fresh chopped garlic (about a tablespoon) and sage (about a tablespoon). you can substitute rosemary or thyme or do a combination of the three. add firmer vegetables like potatoes and carrots after the meat. from there you will add your rinsed beans and a 1/2 cup of broth or water. you can get creative with what type of veggie you want to add. i like to take a head of dinosaur kale and cut it into one-inch strips or a few cups of baby spinach and add this at the end. small cut-up carrots and or celery works as well. cook everything together for 15-20 minutes over medium heat. if you are using kale or spinach add it in about five minutes before you are done with cooking time. you are then ready for a quick healthy and delicious comfort meal.
what kind of quick healthy meal can i make with beans?