Tuscan Bean Dish

This Tuscan Bean Dish is one of those great happy accident discoveries that came out of trying to cook up something yummy for my Mom from what was available in her fridge and pantry. It has been tweaked and perfected, and it is just delightful. I have served it to her and myself many times since then, it is one of our main go to’s.

I love the Italian inspired flavors in this dish, anything Italian food is my favorite. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love Italian?

It can be served as an entree for lunch/dinner (as I usually eat it), or as a great side dish too.

• Green Beans: like all green vegetables they are a great source of antioxidants (especially vitamin K) and fiber.  They also contain carotenoids (such as beta-carotene) which is usually associated with orange or yellow vegetables such as carrots. Furthermore, they are one of our more sustainable vegetables in this country, with most of our supply being grown locally (not imported).
• Tomatoes: tons of vitamin C, lycopene (also a carotenoid), and is also a heart healthy food.
• Bell Peppers: similar to the tomato in health benefits since it is part of the same ‘nightshade’ family, it too contains lots of vitamin C and carotenoids. Each color has different concentrations of nutrients, so it is good to mix the colors (plus so much prettier that way!).
• Cannellini Beans: all beans are a wonderful source of protein and fiber. They are also a great source of trace minerals (such as manganese) and some electrolytes (such as magnesium).  They contain significant amounts of iron, important for energy. They truly are a great meat supplement or replacement!

Nutrition

Calories

35 cal

Fat

1 g

Carbs

6 g

Protein

1 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Yields 4 Servings

Tuscan Bean Dish

10 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

30 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

• 1/2 lb green beans
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbls sage
• 1 tbls thyme
• Olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the garlic (or use pre-minced garlic). Cut and pull out the seeds of the bell peppers and cut into slender strips. Cut or snap the tops off the green beans (I like to line them up and cut a bunch of tops off at once).
2. Cook halved cherry tomatoes, garlic slices, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbls olive oil, and salt on medium high heat. Use a big enough pan to allow for single layer. Cook until tomatoes burst (shrivel slightly and turn golden on the edges).
3. *Side note: do NOT store tomatoes in the fridge, it ruins their flavor and makes them taste bland with a mealy texture.
4. Turn down to medium heat. Add green beans and bell peppers. Add sage, thyme, more olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook until green beans and bell peppers are tender. Stirring intermittently. You want the pan with just enough water, oil, and heat that it is somewhere between steaming and sautéing. (Moisture from the vegetables should be plenty of water, usually you won’t need to add any).
5. Add cannellini beans for last 2 minutes to allow to heat through and gain flavor. Turn up to medium high heat for a final sauté. Do not add cannellini beans before this point because they will turn to mush as you stir the rest of the ingredients.

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http://www.morgansgreencuisine.com/tuscan-bean-dish/