White Bean Winter Stew

The sun may be shining today, but Chicago is still lingering in the 30s again! Plan to warm up the house tonight with this incredibly delicious tomato-based stew--another recipe featured at Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives conference last month--invite the roommates to dinner and have them bring a loaf of crusty bread and butter! 

That's really all you need for a fantastic meal and good times on a cold winter day!

This is an easy, super cheap, but hunger-quenching recipe simple enough for even a dorm kitchenette and college cooking. Trying to live healthy while being frugal wont get any easier than this for low-income college living!!

(Adapted from The Bean Institute recipe vault)

White Bean Winter Stew

Equipment:

5-quart saucepan

Handheld Immersion Blender (optional)

Ingredients:

1/4 c bacon, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 small shallot, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1/2-1 tsp smoked Chipotle Powder (optional and spicy)

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

2-3 cups of a white bean (prefer Cannelini Beans)

1 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Olive oil to drizzle

Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Cook the bacon in a large 5-quart sauce pan until slightly crispy and browned.

3. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.
4. Sprinkle oregano and chipotle powder onto the onions and stir.

5. Add the can of diced tomatoes and broth. Simmer on low heat x 30 minutes.

(if you have an immersion blender use it to make soup smoother...or not!)

6. Add 2 cups of beans (if you like beans add 3 cups total).
7. Add the marjoram, salt, and pepper to taste.

8. Simmer on low x 2-3 minutes.
9. Serve with a little olive oil, parmesan and basil.
10. Don't forget the crusty bread!