I’m currently on deadline for an article I write every year for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Last evening, after furiously writing all weekend, I needed a quick and easy dinner of food I already had on hand. There was some fresh broccoli in the fridge, which gave me a taste for roasted broccoli. (It’s basically the same preparation as the roasted romanesco I posted a while back, except that you can just chop it into florets. Peel and chop the main stems if you like. They’re very sweet). I also wanted to add a bit of protein to the meal.
Looking through my cupboards, I found a can of Eden Butter Beans. I thought about what pantry staples might go well with these mild, silky beans. Olive oil is always good. I also had a couple lemons and I’d just pruned a large, volunteer Italian parsley plant in my garden. Along with a little Celtic sea salt, that’s all I needed to make a fresh, protein-rich side dish. It literally took me five minutes to make. One recipe was enough to satisfy both my partner and me, along with the roasted broccoli.
Note: I prefer using Celtic sea salt these days instead of regular sea salt. It’s a pure form of salt with no additives and is dried naturally with just summer sun and wind. Celtic sea salt is light grey in color and has a slightly moist texture. It provides 82 trace minerals and boasts many health benefits.
Meatless Monday: Easy-Peasy 5-Minute Butter Beans
- 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed (I use Eden brand because they don’t line their cans with BPA.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- pinch of Celtic sea salt (or other sea salt if that’s what you’ve got on hand)
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. That’s it!