Bean & Bacon Stew

 

This mega hearty stew is substantially satisfying in every way and its smoky autumnal heartiness can carry you through those frosty wintry months as well. Paired with a crusty roll or a slice of seeded multigrain bread this is an instant mealtime hit. 

Bean and Bacon Stew

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2 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound low salt bacon, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 large carrots, diced small

3 stalks of celery, diced small

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup flour

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cans (15 oz, each) navy beans or great northern beans, drained

1 can (15oz) butter beans, drained 

2 bay leaves 

Place the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and warm over medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 7 minutes or until the bacon crisps. Carefully remove the bacon from the pot and set aside to drain on a plate with paper towel, to absorb most of the grease. Do not remove the bacon fat from the pot. Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery and season with the salt and pepper, cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and onions translucent.

Add the tomato paste to the vegetable mixture, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes, then gradually pour in the chicken stock all the while stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bacon back to the pot, then add the drained beans and the bay leaves and bring the stew to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings according to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.     

Winter Vegetable Stew

Reminiscent of a minestrone soup minus the pasta. The tomato herb soupy base is there as well as root vegetables and an ample amount of parsnips make this wintery stew hearty and substantial. 

  

Winter Vegetable Stew 

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Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

4 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery ribs, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cups (500ml) low sodium vegetable stock

14 oz (410g) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

14 oz (410g) can low sodium diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 bay leaves

1 - 2 tablespoons dried oregano 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) 

Heat oil in a large stockpot on medium-high heat. Sauté leek, rutabaga, celery, carrot and onion for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.

Add the vegetable stock, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, soy sauce, bay leaves and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil, then transfer to a large casserole dish.

Bake, covered for about 20 minutes and then uncover and bake a further 10 minutes.

Serve with slices of rustic bread.  

Notes: you can use 2 rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped, instead of parsnips.

Beef and Beans with Pasta

This recipe is from the Kid's Menu in Nigella Lawson's How to Eat cookbook, and before you can raise an eyebrow, this is a nourishing meal that will be reoccurring on our table and quite possibly yours, regardless of age. With a few simple ingredients you can create an easy one pot, one bowl dinner worth every spoonful. For more information and other recipes visit nigella.com

  Beef and Beans with Pasta - Nigella Lawson

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serves 4 

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 carrot

1/2 stalk of celery 

1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces ground beef

1 x 15 ounces tin of borlotti beans or pinto beans (drained)

4 cups beef broth

1 x 14 ounces tin of diced tomatoes

1 glug of red vermouth or red wine (optional)

8 ounces macaroni

Parmesan cheese to serve

METHOD:

1. This is all you do; put the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in the food processor and turn on for a few seconds until you have a finely chopped orangey-jade mess. (If chopping finely by hand I might, out of laziness or time pressure, not bother with the carrot or celery) Cook the vegetables in the oil in a medium - large saucepan or enamelled cast-iron casserole / Dutch oven for 5 - 7 minutes over medium heat, until beginning to soften at the edges, but not brown. Stir regularly.

2. Turn the heat up, add the beef, and turn it in the hot pan, pushing it and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, spatula or fork, until it loses it raw redness. Add the drained tin of beans, then slowly stir in the beef broth, and tin of diced tomatoes (and a slug of red wine you've got a bottle opened somewhere, or red vermouth if you prefer, as I do often.)

3. Bring to the boil, add the macaroni, let it come to the boil again and then turn down the heat and cook, uncovered, at a robust simmer for 18 - 20 minutes, stirring every now and again during the time to make sure nothing's sticking to the bottom of the pan. When it's cooked, the pasta tender, much of the liquid should have evaporated, or been absorbed and what you'll  have is a thick, busy stew of soup. Add a splash of hot water if you feel it needs it. Taste for salt and pepper, grate some Parmesan over, if wished, and let the eaters grate some more themselves. 

The weather kept waxing and waning before the super flower blood moon and ultimately ended in a wash of cloud cover. Hope those lucky enough to catch a glimpse marvelled in its view. - JD  

Three Bean Salad

With some creativity and a little culinary know how creating meals using canned food may be a necessity or a regularity at times. As a main, side or on toast this is a healthy and delicious way to add some extra fibre to your meals.
    
Three Bean Salad

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1 can of chickpeas, drained 

1 can of red beans, drained 

1 can of black beans, drained 

half red onion, diced

half green pepper, diced

mixed green sprouts, optional

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon summer savoury

In a bowl whisk all the dressing ingredients together until the white sugar has dissolved.

Make the dressing and set it aside.

In a large bowl add the drained chickpeas, red beans and black beans. Then add the diced red onion, green peppers and mixed sprouts, if using. Whisk the prepared dressing and drizzle the dressing over the beans and vegetables, you might not need to use all of the dressing; depends on taste, gently toss to coat. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow all the ingredients and flavours blend together.     

 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Beans on Toast with a Fried Egg

Sometimes it is hard to decide what to eat for dinner let alone lunch. I try to keep things simple and nourishing at lunch; something that can sustain me throughout the better part of the day. The usual beans on toast is a good stand by however add a fried egg and or some sautéd greens and it all seems more nourishing. With a dash of black pepper and hot sauce for a spicy flavour kick. 

Hope everyone is having a good week. - JD 

Mexican Stew

This straightforward spicy stew takes little effort and just a bit of time however it is satisfying and perfect to warm you up on a chilly Fall or Winter's night. 

Mexican Stew  ( Carne Guisada ) 

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds stewing beef, cubed

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cans (796ml, 28 fl oz) no salt diced tomatoes

2 cans (8oz) crushed tomato sauce

2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped - optional

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed - optional

In a large stock pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the stew meat and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion and green and red peppers and sauté for a few more minutes. 

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeños, if adding, garlic, and chili powder, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer over a gentle boil, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes.

Add the salt and black pepper and adjust the seasoning according your to taste. Stir in the black beans and allow to simmer a few more minutes. Serve into bowls with a warm tortilla on the side. May also be served with rice.

Notes: I added a bit more chili powder then stated. If you can not find crushed tomato sauce then use strained tomatoes or pasta sauce. This recipe does make a large amount so there were leftovers to which I added a cup of frozen corn.   

Leftovers #41 ~ Bean Couscous Salad

Having leftover couscous is great because you have the start of making an interesting dish. Take the leftover couscous and place into a large serving bowl, add chopped red and orange peppers, diced red onion and 1 can of mixed beans, that have been drained. Toss. Then make a a simple raspberry vinaigrette dressing and drizzle over the couscous salad. Toss to coat. Cover and allow to mellow in the refrigerator for a few hours. When ready to eat. Remove from refrigerator, give the couscous salad a nice toss and scatter fresh pomegranate seeds on top. Serve. The perfect side to meat or tofu. Keeping it simple!  

Mixed Bean Salad

Summer sides can be as simple as this. A bean salad is quick and easy to make yet generous in texture, flavour, and nutrition. Leafy salads have their place however an abundant change such as this is refreshing.  

Bean Salad

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1 - 14 ounce can of chickpeas, drained

1 - 14 oz can of kidney beans, drained

1 - 14 oz can of pinto beans, drained

1 - 14 oz can of lima beans, drained

1 - 14 oz can of black beans, drained, optional

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, chopped or diced

half can of corn, drained 

You may use any combination of beans you like... I used a 540ml (19 fl oz) can of exotic bean mix which included: adzuki beans, urid beans, moong beans, and soya beans plus a can of chickpeas. 

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon za'atar (thyme herb mix) seasoning 

In a large serving bowl combine all the drained beans, chopped green pepper, diced red onion, and corn. Toss together. Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the oil red wine vinegar, white sugar, salt and pepper, and za'atar seasoning until the sugar has dissolved. Spread over the bean and vegetable mixture and gently toss again. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. 

Notes: You may use honey or agave syrup to sweeten. Try adding other vegetables like, red, orange or yellow peppers. Try different oils, vinegars or seasoning.  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Chili

Not surprised when temperatures drop, chili is the required meal at our house. I enjoy making this tasty effortless one pot dish. Loaded with black, kidney and edamame beans, corn, red and green peppers, carrots, onions and ground meat, this is pure comfort food pleasure in a bowl. Just enough spice to give it some heat which was topped with sour cream and grated cheese and a side of homemade corn bread. Sure glad there are leftovers tonights dinner. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Free For All Friday Night Dinners

Usually the other days of the week, for dinner, are planned with thought however I wanted to make Friday's free from that. So I invented Free for All Fridays. It is a way of having something more casual for dinner with not too much planning or fuss. This time my son, the elusive kitchen crusader, made the suggestion of beans on toast. Simple however his version pictured here has baked beans drizzled with Canadian maple syrup, topped with cooked streaky bacon, and melted cheese on top. Stodgy goodness worth every bite. Beans on toast is one of those meals that it is what it is and it is how you make it. 

Enjoy the weekend everyone! - JD   

Leftovers #10 - Rice Salad

While putting away leftovers in the refrigerator a slight clanking sound kept repeating. Foraging my hands towards the back of the shelf I couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Pulling the glass dish towards more of a recognizable light I popped the lid and realized the contents were leftover rice. I could not have been more delighted and immediately decided that it was going to be the inspiration for my rice salad.

Since I already had rice that was cooked and a few days old, all that was needed were a few vegetables, black beans, cheese and a dressing. A trip to the grocery store found everything that I was looking for. Green leafy, potato and pasta salads may take a back seat after you have tried this rice salad.           

You can make this salad using freshly made rice however I like to used cooked day old rice. It seems to absorb the flavours better. My leftover rice was a mixture of jasmine and brown rice. The veggies, fresh and crisp and the thinly sliced spinach leaves added little shards of greeny goodness.    

Rice Salad

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2-3 cups cooked, few day old rice 

1 red pepper, diced

half a red onion, diced

1/3 of a cucumber, sliced and then quartered or halved

1 small can of organic black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 tomato, diced

A handful or two of thinly sliced spinach leaves

feta cheese, crumbled 

Dressing

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In a glass jar add the following ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced/crushed

2 teaspoons oregano 

a bit of freshly ground black pepper

Put the lid on tightly and shake madly. Blending all the ingredients. This will help you vent any frustration you may have. 

I placed the leftover rice into a large bowl. I used a fork to separate any clumps... in fact you can probably use your clean hands to break up all the clumpy bits. Rinse and drain the black beans and set aside. In the meantime... chop, dice, and slice the veggies.   

I pre-chopped the veggies however you don't have too. Place the red pepper, red onion, and cucumber in the bowl with the rice. Once the black beans have drained for a bit add the beans to the bowl as well. Giving everything a gentle stir. 

Pour half of the dressing over top of the rice and veggie mixture. Stir to make sure everything gets coated with the dressing. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the everything can absorb the flavours from the dressing.  

An hour before serving pour the rest of the dressing over the salad and toss. Add the sliced spinach leaves and the diced tomatoes. Stir. Place the crumbled feta cheese on top. The salad is ready to be served.   

Notes: You can also add some freshly grated lemon rind to the dressing or salad. You can use other veggies or different kinds of cheese. Try adding wild rice. 

I added the tomatoes last because, I find, as tomatoes sit they tend to get mushy so either add them at the last moment or use them as a garnish.

  

Spiced Pinto Bean, Oat, and Apple Muffins

Forging ahead with my bean baking... remember those chocolate bean brownies I made? I made these delicious morsels... Spiced pinto bean, oat, and apple muffins. They are quite tasty and you would not know that they are mostly made of beans. The texture is delicate and fluffy. Surprisingly, there is no flour in these muffins.  

The recipe came from this cookbook, Bean Cuisine by Genevieve Taylor. This is a great book. It is lovely to have a cookbook that offers alternative, for a lack of better terms, meal options. Not that one could not figure out a few substitutions on ones own however the recipes are easy. The photography mouthwatering. At 143 pages this puts beans first on the dinner, lunch and dessert tables. 

The introduction deals with the benefits of beans, varieties of beans, type of beans for cooking, cooking dried beans and bean storage. The 5 chapters offer Easy everyday beans, Bean feasts, Beans to go, Snacks and dips and Sweet beans (desserts). I want to try the Cappuccino navy bean cheesecake, Coconut rice and peas, Spicy roasted chickpea "chips", Jamaican red bean, spiced chicken and sweet potato casserole, and Mujaddara with halloumi. Those recipes can truly make one very hungry! 

Spiced pinto bean, oat and apple muffins

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1 x 14 oz (400g) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

3 large eggs

1/2 stick plus 3 tablespoons (3 1/2oz/100g) butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz/100g) dark brown sugar

3 small apples (about 3/4 lb/350g), peeled, cored and grated 

2 2/3 cups (9oz/250g) ground almonds

2 teaspoons ground mixed spice

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup (3 1/2oz/100g) raisins

1/3 cup (2oz/60g) oats, plus a few extra for sprinkling on top

Clear honey to drizzle

Method

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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC/gas mark 4). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.

Add the beans to a food processor finely. Add the eggs, butter, and sugar and blend together until smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the grated apple, almonds, spices, and baking powder and beat until well combined. 

Fold through the raisins and oats, and spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Sprinkle a few extra oats on top of each muffin and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until springy to the touch. Before serving, drizzle a little honey on top of the muffins. 

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The comforting aroma of warm apple filled the kitchen. I managed to taste them fresh out of the oven and they melted in your mouth however I would suggest to let them cool a bit that way they won't be so crumbly. Enjoy! - JW 

Black Bean Brownies

I literally stumble upon this recipe. I was quite intrigued by the use of black beans and no flour to make brownies. If you have a blender or a food processor then making these delicious low fat brownies will be a breeze.  

Black Bean Brownies

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15 1/2 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Semi-sweet chocolate chips and or nuts for the topping is optional

Pre heat oven to 350ºF.

Add all of the ingredients into the blender or food processor; mix until all ingredients are well blended and smooth. There should be not be any whole black beans in the batter. 

Spray an 8x8" baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray or you you could butter and flour the pan like I did. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with chocolate chips or nuts if desired.

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean after inserting it in the centre. Cool for 30 minutes before cutting and serving, otherwise they will fall apart.

Notes: My only issue with these brownies came when I was slicing them. I did let them sit for the required 30 minutes and as I was cutting the knife kept pulling on the brownie which made for a less attractive brownie slice however by the time a slice was devoured that was all forgotten. Other than that these were fantastic and very delicious! - JW  

What Is In The Garden...

A pleasant surprise in the garden as the chocolate mint, I planted last year, came back very strong. I can not wait to pick and dry the leaves for some cooking and baking over the winter months. I honestly didn't think it would survive the winter. 

The radishes are a little slow this year. I think in most part due to the rhubarb. It seems to be taking over most of the garden space. You can tell by the big green leaf in the right hand corner. The rhubarb is massive and is ready to photobomb any chance it can get. 

We started the yellow beans in planters. They have sprung up quite quickly. My daughter was excited to see her effort come to fruition. They certainly enjoy the early morning sunshine. 

I know peonies are not edible however I just had to share this photo. As always they are blooming beautifully. The ants are furiously attacking the buds for their sweet nectar.   

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! And to all my Canadian followers Happy Canada Day! - JW  

For Comfort

I acquired this cookbook very inexpensively! The Ultimate Cooking Course and Kitchen Encyclopedia by Hermes House editor Carole Clements is 512 pages thick. It is a very heavy book. Just lifting it gives you a workout! It is broken down into two parts. Part One: The Cook's Kitchen Bible comes with a full Introduction on kitchen know how and the sections are Meat, Pasta & Grains, Vegetables, Eggs, Sauces, Fruit, Breads and Pastry & Cakes... etc. With numbered step by step instructions and colour photos to guide you. The recipes in this section could be more for the experienced cook or someone who is looking to expand their palette. Part Two: American Home Cooking is broken down into more condensed sections. For example: Salads, Vegetables, Eggs and Cheese are one section, Meat and Poultry are another and Pasta, Pizza & Grains are together as well... you get the idea. Still included are the numbered step by step instructions and coloured photos. The recipes here have more to do with comfort food and down home cooking. Cooking for a hectic lifestyle. Overall this is a pretty good cookbook. Lots of recipes worth trying. Some standard and some no so standard. The recipes I have tried are, Rice Pudding, Blueberry-Cinnamon Muffins, Pound Cake, Pancakes and Baked Sausages and Beans with Crispy Topping.

Here is the Baked Sausages and Beans with Crispy Topping, served with a side of rice. I found the recipe fairly straight forward and the ingredients easy. This recipe is from the American Home Cooking part. I did find the dish a bit on the sweet side. It did have 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup brown sugar. So fairly sweet I would say. That being said the flavours did come out in this dish. My nine year old reluctantly ate it. He is a creature of habit with his food. If I was to make this dish again, next time I would switch the crushed tomatoes for stewed tomatoes and lessen the sugar. The recipe called for three meats; Sausages, Bacon and Kielbasa. A meat lovers heaven. As always I search for the lowest sodium ingredients that are offered. - JW