Cannellini Beans in Mint Marinade

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

1/3 cup EVOO
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Several grinds black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves
3 1/2 cups freshly cooked or canned cannellini beans, drained

Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl.  Stir in the mint.  Add the beans to the marinade.  Gently toss to coat, then allow them to marinate at room temperature for several hours before serving.  Any leftovers may be refrigerated, but should be returned to room temperature before serving.

California Miso, Avocado, and Lima Bean Salad

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

For the dressing:
1 Tbsp. miso paste
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
4 Tbsp. dairy-free yogurt
sea salt

5 oz. broccoli, stems chopped, florets broken into little heads
2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 handfuls of seasonal salad leaves, washed and dried
1 ripe avocado, pitted and halved
One 15-oz. can lima beans (or any white bean), drained [these can be pan-fried and chopped a bit]

First make the dressing.  Mix all dressing ingredients together in a bowl, adding a little salt if needed, depending on how salty your miso is.  Alternately, if the dressing is too salty, add more yogurt.

Next, blanch the broccoi in boiling, salted, water for a minute or so, until it has lost its rawness and is a lovely bright green.  Drain and let cool.

Toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds in a pan until lightly golden, then spread on a plate to cool.

Pile the leaves into a serving bowl, then chop the avocado into chunks, and add them to the bowl along with the beans.  Once the broccoli and seeds are cool, add them too.  Pour over the dressing and toss well. 

(Can be served with steamed bown rice or soba noodles for a more substantial dinner.)

Spicy Sweet Potato Stew

(recipe origin unknown)

2 Tbsp. olive oil (I used coconut oil)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (or leave seeds for heat)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2-3 cups vegetable stock
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Two 14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes, chopped if needed
Two 14.5 oz. cans small red beans or white beans, drained
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. orange peel, grated (I omitted this)
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add jalapeno and spices and stir 1 minute.  Add broth and potato.  Cover; reduce heat to medium and simmer until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes with their juices, and beans.  Simmer uncovered until chili thickens and potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.  Mix in cilantro and orange peel  Squeeze in the lime.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Autumn Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette

(recipe from Sprouted Kitchen)

3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts
3/4 lb. cauliflower florets
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2"cubes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. white balsamic (I used regular balsamic vinegar)
3/4-1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
few pinches of cayenne
1 cup cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
2 packed cups arugula
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 large clove garlic
1/2 a shallot
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, to taste
handful of fresh chives and/or parsley
dollop of crème fraiche, optional

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Cut the Brussels in half lengthwise, and cut the cauliflower into similar size chunks.  Add both of these and the squash to a large rimmed baking tray.  Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a few pinches of cayenne and toss everything together with your hands to coat.  Roast in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes, until edges are browned.

While the vegetables roast, make your dressing.  In a mini blender or processor, combine the horseradish, garlic, shallot, honey, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, herbs and crème fraiche, if using.  Blend everything together to mix well.  Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.

As soon as the hot tray is out of the oven, add the beans onto the tray and toss everything together.  Allow the vegetables to cool to room temperature.  Add the pomegranate seeds, arugula, and a good drizzle of the dressing and toss everything to coat.  Serve at room temperature.

White Bean Soup with Escarole

(recipe from The Food Network)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups broth
2 (16-oz.) cans white cannellini beans, drained
4 fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
8 oz. escarole (or kale!), cut into chiffonade
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan.  Add onion and carrots, cover, and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.  If vegetables stick to saucepan, add some water, cover and continue to simmer.

Add the garlic and sauté for a moment.  Add 1 of the cans of beans and mash with a potato masher.  Add the other can of beans along with the broth and bring to a simmer with the sage.  Simmer 10 minutes or until as thick as you like it.  If too thick, add more water; if too thin, boil down until some of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir the escarole (or kale) into the pot, cover, and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.  Uncover, add parsley and adjust seasoning.

White Bean and Tomato Salad

(recipe from Real Simple magazine)

Two 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used navy beans)
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)
1/2 tsp. salt
olive oil

Combine all ingredients and drizzle with the olive oil.

(It does not get much more simple than this!  Easy summer salad recipe, good for parties.  Nice served with salad greens.)

Lemony White Bean Dip

(recipe from a newspaper, not sure which one)

 

2 cans (15 oz. each) white beans, such as cannellini or great northern

2 cloves garlic, quartered

1 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

Drain and rinse beans.  Place beans, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and oil in a food processor.  Process until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.  Scrape mixture into a bowl.  Stir in salt.  Can be made several hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated.  Let come to room temperature before serving.

(So easy to make!  I brought this dip to a party, and it was a hit.)

Bean Salad with Fresh Salmon and Dill

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans (10 ounces), soaked overnight and drained
1 small onion, halved
1 carrot, halved
4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
2 bay leaves
1 medium fennel bulb, finely diced, stalks, core and fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup good fruity olive oil
Two 8-oz. skinless salmon fillets

Place the beans in a large pot.  Add 2 quarts of water and the onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and the reserved fennel stalks and core.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, cover and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.  Season the beans with salt and pepper during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Drain the beans and discard all the cooked vegetables.  Coarsely chop the fennel fronds.  Transfer the beans to a large serving platter and, while still warm, add the dill, diced fennel bulb, fennel fronds and all but 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to combine.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper, add the fish to the skillet and cook over moderate heat on 1 side until brown and crusty, about 3 minutes.  Gently flip the salmon and cook on the other side until just cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Transfer the salmon to a plate to cool slightly.  Break the salmon into large flakes and toss gently with the beans.  Serve the salad warm or at room temperature.

(A nice hearty salad with great flavor.  Beware of overcooking the beans - check that they're not turning too mushy.  I cooked mine an hour and they were a bit overdone.  Also, I'm not a fan of throwing out the onions and carrots and garlic - perhaps may be nice to chop them a bit and keep them in the salad?  Might give it a try next time...  I did not use so much olive oil - can add to your liking.  Also, instead of fresh salmon, I added the thick smoked salmon to mine, which tasted nice.)

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fine grain salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

more olive oil for cooking (or ghee) - (I used coconut oil)
2 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick on deep bias
3 cups cooked white beans
scant 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or honey)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and shallots in a small bowl.  Stir and set aside.

In your largest skillet over medium-high heat, toss the carrots with a splash of olive oil or a spoonful of ghee.  Let them cook in a single layer - they'll give off a bit of water at first.  Keep cooking, tossing gently every three or four minutes until the carrots are deeply browned.  All told, about twelve minutes.

Add the beans and dill to the skillet and cook for another five minutes, or until the beans are well heated through.  If you are using beans that weren't canned, you can allow them to brown a bit as well (just cook a bit longer, and stir less frequently) - they can handle this in a way that most canned beans can't.  If you need to add a bit more olive oil to the pan, do so.

Place the contents of the skillet in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour the lemon-shallot mixture over the top.  Toss gently.  Let sit for ten minutes.  Toss gently once again, taste and adjust with more salt or sugar or lemon juice if needed to balance the flavors.  Serve warm or at room temperature and finish by sprinkling with the almonds just before serving.

(Comes together easily.  Tangy and hearty.  I enjoyed eating this salad over arugula accompanied with some sliced avocado.)

White Bean and Mushroom Stew

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

Serves 4 to 6.

2 Tbsp. olive oil (or 1/2 cup broth to water saute)
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 sprig fresh rosemary (I used dried)
2 cups cooked white beans (equivalent to one 16-oz. can), drained
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Heat oil (or broth/water) in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook onion, celery, and carrots until tender, about 8 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms, and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Deglaze with wine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Add tomatoes, rosemary, beans and 1/2 cup water or broth.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

(This is a nice, easy, and satisfying vegetable soup.  Very tomato-y.)

White Bean and Kale Soup with "Sausage"

(adaption of a recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Serves 8 to 10.

8 cups vegetable broth
1 package Gimme Lean vegetarian sausage, sliced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste
7 cups cooked white beans (cannellini, navy, or great northern)
1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Heat 1/4 cup broth in a large pot over medium heat.  Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and sausage is just browned, about 10 minutes.  Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes more.  (Add a generous splash of broth to the pot if the onions begin to stick.)

Meanwhile, put 3 cups beans and 2 cups broth into a blender and puree until smooth; set aside.  Add remaining broth to sausage mixture in pot and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.  Add kale, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted and softened, about 5 minutes.  Uncover, add remaining 4 cups beans, bean puree, salt and pepper and simmer until hot throughout, about 5 minutes more.

Veggie Chowder

(based on a recipe from Whole Foods Market for Salmon Chowder)

Serves 4.

1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups vegetable broth (maybe more, if chowder seems too thick)
1/2 cup milk alternative (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup silken tofu, blended with a small amount of water till creamy
2 cups cooked white beans (I used navy beans)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup cooked millet
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. minced chives for garnish

Saute onion and celery in a soup pot with 1/2 cup of the broth, until onion is translucent.  Add potatoes and saute about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Do not brown.  Add carrots and remaining broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Add milk, tofu, beans, mushrooms, millet, parsley, dill and pepper.  Simmer over low heat 5 to 8 minutes.  Add more dill, pepper, or salt to taste.  Garnish with chives.

(This was tasty enough, and seemed to get better after a day or two.  In hindsight, instead of the silken tofu, I might use some blended, soaked cashews next time I am looking for creaminess in a recipe.  I believe cashews add a "buttery" quality, which may work well in this type of chowder.  I added the mushrooms, beans, and millet in place of the salmon in the recipe, which seemed to work well.)