I have been craving spicy and vegetarian lately, so this was very satisfying! As much as I love meat, sometimes I just like to skip it and enjoy something meatless. I bought these dried cannellini beans in my quest to explore more healthy, organic and natural side of cooking.
Cannellini beans are low-fat, high in fiber and provide a high quality of magnesium, fiber, iron and folate. They have twice as much iron as beef. Maintaining iron stores high ensures a stable supply of hemoglobin. This carries energizing oxygen to every cell in the body. This gives you energy to spare!
They are a fine source of molybdenum. This is a trace mineral that helps the body produce detoxifying enzymes. This prevents headaches that are caused by sulfites, a compound used to preserve baked goods, wine and various things. They are also loaded with thiamine which is essential for high mental performance. Thiamine is required for a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which improves reaction time.
They are high in fiber help cut cholesterol. The beans fiber binds to fat to help flush it from the body. It’s also loaded with folate which helps lower levels of homocysteine, which clogs arteries.
Cover the bean wit water and soak over night or a minimum of 5 hours.
Remove from heat and drain, set aside to cool.
Put a little olive oil in some kitchen papper, and rub over the base of your pan. Fry off onions with the garlic & chilli, add mushrooms. I don’t like my mushrooms overcooked, I still like the mouth feels of them slightly raw.
If you do not like a bite, you can omit the chilli.
Remove from pan, and set aside to cool.
Toss peaches, feta, oregano and fried mushrooms and onions to the cannellini beans, mix together, season and dress with your favourite dressing, I used Verlague Chili & Mango reduction.
Serve with toasted ciabatta. A great healthy easy vegetarian lunch, add some diced bacon or parma ham to make it more meaty.