Beanz beanz good for your heart...

I'm illing a bit at the moment. You know how it is. Your body can't make up its mind if it wants to be ill or not, so you spend 2 or 3 days feeling a bit groggy, bit of a sore throat, achy etc. But it never gets bad enough to justify saying your actually ill!

And even though it might be a bit lighter in the mornings and evenings, it's still a bit chilly in the evenings. My better half is out tomorrow night, so keep myself busy and feel good I'm going to make this comforting and healthy stew from the Channel 4 Food site.

The X-Factor comes in that this recipe serves 8, so I'll be freezing some and when it comes to having it again, maybe adding nice, firm white fish like cod or monkfish to jazz it up a bit.



This substantial casserole of two beans - borlotti and cannellini - will bring a hearty glow to all - and it's suitable for veggies too.

Serves 8
Ready in just over 1 hour
Nutritional Information

Per serving:
176kcals
5.1g fat (0.8g saturated)
8.5g protein
23.4g carbs
10.1g sugar
0.7g salt
Ingredients

* 3 tbsp olive oil
* 4 celery sticks, roughly diced
* 4 medium carrots, roughly diced
* 3 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 100ml white wine
* 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
* Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
* About 700ml vegetable stock, hot
* 410g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
* 410g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* Small handful fresh oregano or fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, plus extra whole leaves to garnish

Method: How to make Italian bean casserole

1. Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes. Add the leeks, cook for 3-4 minutes, then

stir in the garlic and wine. Let the wine cook out and reduce for a few minutes.

2. Tip in the tomatoes and lemon zest and season well. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer fairly rapidly for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the vegetables are just tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened.

3. Stir in the beans (add a dash of hot water, if necessary) and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the oregano or thyme and the lemon juice. It's worth re-checking the seasoning now. Spoon the casserole into bowls and garnish with fresh oregano or thyme leaves.

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