Summer vegetable and butter bean stew : A slow cooker recipe

'A slow cooker is the pinnacle of low-maintenance cooking. Place the ingredients inside, turn it on, and let it cook. Your only thought is how delicious that meal is going to taste.'

Read more about slow cookers here

This recipe is an easy-going, vegan/vegetarian, slow-cooked summer vegetable stew. Serve as a main course with crusty bread to mop up the juices, or as a warm salad along with other sharing plates.

Ingredients

Serves 2/3

2 red, orange or yellow peppers, roughly diced
1 small courgette (zucchini), diced
½ aubergine (eggplant), diced
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 small fennel bulb (or ½ a large one), finely sliced
3 large ripe tomatoes, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
small handful fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped, or ½ tsp dried oregano
15g/½oz basil, plus extra small leaves to serve
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
60g/2¼oz marinated olives in oil
400g tin butter beans, drained
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh bread, to serve

(some low carb bread recipe suggestions here)

Method

1. Preheat the slow cooker to high.
2. Add all the chopped veg to the slow cooker pot and stir in the garlic, oregano, half the basil and the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and cook for 2 hours.
3. Stir in the olives, butter beans and vinegar and cook for another 15–20 minutes until the veg is all tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir through the remaining basil.
4. Finish with a scattering of small basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with fresh bread.

From original idea here

Did you know that butter beans are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and thiamine, they are also a good source of protein - more details here

Some readers may also be interested in seeing these two slow cooker recipes
Chicken Casserole recipe here

Beef Stew recipe here

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All the best Jan