Easy, Healthy Butter Bean Stew

Bet you never thought you’d see “healthy” and “butter” next to each other in the same sentence!

Last night, after heating up some broth for a very sick D., I moseyed back to the kitchen to figure out dinner for myself. The fridge was pretty cleaned out, save some pretty blood oranges, 6 grape tomatoes, and a bit of leftover fennel. But fear not, dear readers! A few ingredients really do go a long way. I feel a little bit like Rachael Ray when I say this, but a delicious and healthy meal really is only 30 minutes away.

Will you roll your eyes if I say this was not a recipe? Fine, you win. Here’s the recipe, but please, pretty please, feel free to adapt this in any way you see fit. If you’ve got regular white beans, they’ll do just fine (though I do love the starchy, buttery texture of butter beans, hence called). If you wish, add some feta cheese and parsley. This can go in any number of different directions, all equally easy and delicious.

Butter Bean Stew

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. each dried oregano and dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• piece of a parmagiano reggiano rind, if available (feel free to substitute other cheese such as feta)
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• handful grape or cherry tomatoes

• For this one-pot wonder, I tossed some chopped garlic and shallots in a Tbsp of olive oil, let them sweat for a couple minutes, added salt, pepper, a bay leaf, and a Tbsp. each of dried oregano and dried basil. Then I drained and added a can (yes, a can!) of butter beans, and tossed them around to coat. I added a piece of the rind from parmigiano reggiano cheese. Then I added a bit of leftover canned crushed tomatoes (I’d estimate about 1 cup or so) and the six cherry tomatoes I had. I don’t need to tell you to add more if you have more…

  From this point on, you basically just watch the whole thing simmer away until you can’t stand it any longer. If desired, add some water to keep a thinner consistency. I lasted about 15 minutes — plenty of time for all the flavors to come together. Ladel into a bowl atop a nice, crusty crouton or piece of toast, and enjoy just so.