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Sunday 17 February 2019

Italian Bean Stew : Vegetarian


This recipe suggestion is for a 'robust Italian bean stew recipe, which is full of flavour and easy to make. It's a great winter warmer that's packed with lots of vegetables and pulses, and makes a super hearty meal'. Please note each serving is 34.8 g carbs 13.5 g protein 5g fat so may not be suitable for all readers. However, if you would like to give it a try then please read on …

Ingredients:
Serves Four
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
100ml red wine
400g tin plum tomatoes
1/2 to 1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1 sprig oregano, chopped
400g tin borlotti beans
400g tin butter beans
400g tin flageolet (or three bean) beans

100ml vegetable stock

To serve:
Low-carb Dinner Rolls - see recipe details here
crusty bread, (optional)

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the onion, carrots and celery for 5 mins until starting to soften.
2. Add the garlic and leeks and cook for another 5 mins.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper.

4. Cook for 1 hr and serve with low-carb dinner rolls/large chunks of bread(optional).
From an original idea here



Did you know - Olive oil is probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's mainly made in the Mediterranean, primarily in Italy, Spain and Greece (though countries such as America and Australia also produce it). Much like wine-making, climate, soil and the way the olives are harvested and pressed all have an impact on an oil's character.

Olive oil is assessed on three criteria - fruitiness, bitterness and pepperiness - the flavour, smell and colour can vary radically, both according to its origin, as well as whether it's extra virgin (the finest grade) or not.

Generally speaking, the hotter the country, the more robust the flavour of the oil. It is also possible to flavour olive oil with herbs and spices by steeping them in the oil for ten days or so (though chilli needs far less time). 
Read more here

A variety of articles and recipe ideas are found within this blog. Please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. 

All the best Jan

29 comments:

Catarina said...

I have made something similar. I added rapini instead of leeks. It's good!

Tom said...

...perhaps not for me.

Lowcarb team member said...

Catarina said...
I have made something similar. I added rapini instead of leeks. It's good!

Hello Catarina, and thanks for the tip about adding rapini instead of leeks.

If fellow readers would like a little more information about rapina - here it is :)

Rapini, also known as broccoli rabe, broccoletti, broccolini, raab, rape, cime di rapa, hon tsai tai, and taitcat, is a vegetable commonly featured in Italian and Chinese cuisines. Although it occasionally shares a name with broccoli, it has more in common with the turnip. Its leaves resemble turnip greens, surrounding dispersed buds that resemble thin, leggy broccoli stalks.

It is believed that modern-day rapini originated as a wild herb in either China or the Mediterranean region. Today, it is extremely popular in both of those locales, and it is growing in favor in the West as well, where it is cultivated in California, Arizona, New Jersey, Mexico, and Canada.

Rapini is a cool-season crop, so the best time for home gardeners to grow it is in the fall or early spring. Plants grown in warmer weather tend to go to seed prematurely. The plants should be harvested before the florets open, with cooks cutting the stems at ground level or just above the ground. It is possible to coax multiple cuttings from the plants if they are harvested while the weather is cool enough.

This vegetable is available year-round in the produce section of the supermarket. Shoppers should look for leaves that are bright green, with no wilting or yellowing. Buds should be unopened, and stalks should be crisp and fresh-looking. Although, ideally, it should be harvested or purchased right before eating, it can be stored, unwashed, in a resealable plastic bag in the crisper draw of the refrigerator for up to five days.

One serving (1/2 of a bunch, or about 220 g) of cooked rapini has only 75 calories and contains vitamins A, C, and K; thiamin, riboflavin, folate, zinc, manganese, potassium, calcium, and iron; is low in saturated fat; and is a good source of fiber. It has a somewhat strong and bitter flavor, which makes it a good complement to both milder foods like pasta, polenta, and white beans, and strong flavors like garlic, chili, and anchovy.
Before using, cooks should rinse the florets and leaves under cold running water to remove grit. They should then trim and discard the woody base of the stems and cut the stalks, leaves, and tips into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Rapini can be steamed, sauteed, stir-fried, or braised. If desired, the vegetable can be blanched briefly and drained well before sautéing, to eliminate some of its bitterness.

Information from here
https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-rapini.htm

All the best Jan

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

This does look yummy,very hearty! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

Bob Bushell said...

Thanks Jan for the recipe, I must try that one.

Valerie-Jael said...

Looks very tasty. Valerie

Christine said...

This looks comforting and delicious!

Elephant's Child said...

Yum. I do love beans and legumes.

JFM said...

Looks and sounds delicious.

Laurel Wood said...

A delicious sounding meal for a rainy evening like we are having!

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

This looks so delicious and satisfying - perfect for the cold weather! Interesting about the olive oil, too. When we went to Tuscany, it was wonderful to see all the olive trees growing everywhere. Thank you for sharing - hope you are having a good week! xx Karen

Debbie said...

yummy ingredients!! this looks and sounds amazing, perfect for a cold winter night!!!

Phil Slade said...

I just love olives but the problem is that Sue doesn't. I have to buy small jars or portions and/or eat them all in one or two days or else they go off.

chrissie said...

This looks like a very warmimg and healthy meal-thank you for the recipe

chrissie x

Jo said...

It looks delicious, and very filling.

NatureFootstep said...

I pass, beans are not my favorite food. But I am a bit allergic to them.

My name is Erika. said...

This looks yummy and good for these cold winter days!

Francisco Manuel Carrajola Oliveira said...

Um prato delicioso, aproveito para desejar uma boa semana.

Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
O prazer dos livros

mxtodis123 said...

Another delicious dish from you. I am a big fan of beans.

Lady Caer Morganna said...

I, myself, am not a vegetarian - or vegan for that matter, but this dish does look pretty good! Thank you! ;)

happyone said...

Sure looks good. We use olive here at my house.

carol l mckenna said...

yummy looking Italian soup!

Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Crafty Green Poet said...

I'll definitely try this one, beans are great!

Barb said...

A good one for me to try - and easy, too! I love beans (and wine...).

Miss Val's Creations said...

Yum! We love using olive oil whenever we can for its health benefits.

baili said...

Mouthwatering!

really appealing dish
i must try it soon!

sheila 77 said...

This looks seriously good, a lot of ingredients but most we have or can get easily and the rolls sound really interesting to make, something quite different breadwise. Thanks.

William Kendall said...

It's the beans that I'd object to!

Magic Love Crow said...

looks so good! Thank you!