×
  • Home
  • About
  • Work with me
  • Success Stories
  • Health Challenges
    • Digestive Conditions
    • Skin Conditions
    • Hair Loss
  • Food Blog
  • Find Me
  • More
    • Plans & Packages
    • What To Expect
    • Data Privacy
  • Free Ebook

Tuscan Beans

Tuscan Beans
July 12, 2013Main coursesRecipes by categorySides, starters, soups & snacksBeans pulses & tofuDairy-FreeGluten-freeHerbs & spicesLow GI

I love this beany salad dish which I have adapted from a recipe by Tamasin Day-Lewis.  We eat it lukewarm or at room temperature as the fancy takes us.  It’s also lovely made with butter beans.  The tomatoes are optional, some people prefer the dish without.  Boiling the beans with herbs and vegetables give the most amazing flavour to the finished dish.  But if you can’t be bothered, its still worth making – just omit the onion, celery, rosemary and extra sprig of sage.

As a main meal you could serve this with  a large leafy salad (or lightly steamed broccoli florets drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil) and maybe some quinoa (nice with basil pesto and a crushed clove of garlic stirred in while its still hot).

Feeds 4 as an accompaniment, 2 as a main course:

225g dried cannelini beans, soaked in filtered water overnight (or soak in boiling water for 1 hour)
Optinonal: 1 sprig rosemary (about the length of your hand), destalked, chopped fine
2-3 sprigs sage (around the length of your hand also)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
2 celery stalks
3 large garlic cloves
5 tbsp virgin olive oil
3 fresh or tinned tomatoes, chopped (if you are a perfectionist you can skin them and remove the seeds too – I never bother)
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of Himalayan salt or Atlantic sea salt, not “table salt”

1. Cook the beans in plenty of water with a sprig each of rosemary and sage, the onion, celery and 1 clove of garlic until just about tender.  Reserving the cooking water, drain the beans and discard everything else.
2. Into a large heavy bottomed saucepan or frying pan on a gentle heat put your 1-2 remaining sprigs of sage, the 2 cloves of garlic and bash them about with a wooden spoon for a minute so they get a bit squashed.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, cover with a lid (or a large plate) and cook a couple of minutes until the garlic has started to sizzle.
4. Add tomatoes, beans and a further 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Turn everything in the oil, then pour over enough of the bean stock to cover the base of the pan.  Cook until most (but not all) of the liquid has evaporated.

Why this is good for you:
Extra virgin olive oil, especially raw, is a great source of vitamin E which is great for moisturising your whole body, controlling allergies and is anti-inflammatory.  Beans are a great high protein alternative to meat, fish, eggs or dairy products.  They contain magnesium which has a calming effect, as well as helping keep the skin clear by enhancing liver function. Herbs like sage and rosemary are antioxidant, anti-ageing and naturally anti-inflammatory.  They also encourage growth of friendly gut micro-organisms.

Table salt is an industrial product which contains added aluminium (dessicant) to stop it absorbing moisture.  This is toxic.  Himalayan salt is the cleanest salt and contains trace minerals.  Its “clean” because it came from ancient seas where plastics and other man made contaminants were not present. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Add Comment Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Search Anna’s Food Blog

I’m a Dublin-based nutritionist helping you to enhance your digestion, skin or hair. For tons of info on digestion, skin and hair click here.

Categories

  • Breads, crackers, pancakes & wraps
  • Breakfasts & smoothies
  • Cakes, biscuits & bars
  • Cook-in sauces
  • Desserts & drinks
  • Dressings, rubs, spreads, sauces & more
  • Larder & shopping
  • Main courses
  • Packed lunches
  • Recipes by category
  • Sides, starters, soups & snacks
  • Uncategorized

Follow Anna’s Food Blog via Email

Loading

Tags

Beans Beans & pulses Beans pulses & tofu Chicken Christmas Dairy-Free Dairy-free option Dairy-free options Egg-free Egg-free option Eggs Fish Fruit GAPS diet Gluten-free Gluten-free option Grain-free Grains Herbs & spices Herbs and spices Ketogenic diet Ketogenic diet option Low carb Low GI Medium GI Nuts & seeds Nuts and seeds Oily fish Paleo Paleo/stoneage diet Paleo diet Poultry Prebiotic fibre Red meat SC diet Shellfish Suitable for dairy-free Vegan Vegan option Vegetables Vegetarian White fish Whtie fish Yeast-free

Pay by Paypal

Anna Collins Nutrition Services
Other Amount:
Your Name:

Recent Posts from Anna’s food Blog

  • Braised asparagus

    Braised asparagus

    March 12, 2021
    I LOVE this and it takes less than 10 minutes to cook. Have it as a side, or sprinkle with my vegan Parmesan (recipe on …Read More »
  • Vegan “Parmesan”

    Vegan “Parmesan”

    February 25, 2021
    If you’re dairy sensitive, one of the things you might miss is a sprinkle of Parmesan here and there. I LOVE this recipe for vegan …Read More »
  • Easy venison or beef stew with celeriac

    Easy venison or beef stew with celeriac

    February 7, 2021
    I love to make this and put half in the freezer for a lovely fast dinner some other time. I like to save half the …Read More »
Copyright ©2016 all rights reserved
Designed by Plethora Themes

Cookies Information

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

Cookie settingsREJECTACCEPT
Cookies Policy

Cookies Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies.

But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non Necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Save & Accept