tuscan bean everything
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
This soup is from Cookin' with Mima and the dip is inspired by this fabulous little hole in the wall called Supper in NY. My edit of the recipe as follows:
SOUP
1 c organic onion, diced
1 c organic celery, sliced
1 c carrots, diced
4 cloves organic garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
3/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbsp fresh organic oregano (alt dry 3/4 tsp if fresh not available)
1 tbsp fresh organic cilantro (alt 3/4 tsp dry if fresh not available)
1 tbsp tomato paste
5 c low sodium veggie or chicken stock
2 tbsps olive oil
3 15 oz cans of organic White Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed*
1 whole lemon, squeezed
1 handful fresh, organic spinach
*I love all of the Eden brand beans, they’re next best things to self soaking/prepping, they even use kombu!
DIP
Remainder of boxed organic White Cannellini beans
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Drizzle in avocado oil, enough to fully coat beans
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Dice onions, carrots, slice the celery and press garlic
2. Add the oil to a large pot on medium heat, add carrot, celery, onions and garlic — sauté for 1-2 mins
3. Add spices, salt and tomato paste, mixing well, sauté for about 1 min
4. Add veggie broth, cover and cook for about 20 mins
5. While soup is simmering, prep dip — combine all ingredients and voilà — you won’t even believe how good this is, you may even just want to pick at it with a fork like me, sans bread ;)
6. Add beans, cover and cook for another 10 mins
7. Taste to adjust spices and salt
8. Add a handful of spinach and cook for 5 mins
9. Add lemon juice and remove from the heat
10. Serve in a bowl, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and parmesan cheese and for all the bread eaters, you may want to enjoy with a fresh baguette!
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
CANNELLINI BEANS
High in fiber, low in fat, cannelloni beans are nutrient dense, loaded with calcium and iron, as well as potassium, folate.
EITHER CANNED EDEN BRAND OR BOXED BEANS
While soaking your own beans is hands down the most preferable option, for all convenient intents and purposes, boxed beans my only alternative when not purchasing Eden brand beans. Not only are they fresher tasting, there is no BPA or BPS in the lining, which can seep into the food of many canned foods. BPA and BPS has been linked to a multitude of negative health effects from impaired brain function, memory and learning, depression, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and fertility problems. So, if you aren’t soaking the beans yourself and can’t find Eden brand beans — go boxed!
SPINACH
There’s good reason Popeye downed so much spinach! Loaded with vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, B6, B9, C, E, K1, folic acid, iron and calcium, spinach offers a powerful antioxidant punch, promoting healthy skin and immune function. Spinach is also doused in multiple important plant compounds, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which is linked to improved eye health, and quercetin, which is may ward off infection and inflammation.
AVOCADO OIL
EVOO isn’t the only super oil out there! Rich in a multitude of antioxidants (including vitamins A, E, B12), improving skin and wound healing, avocado oil is also swimming in heart-healthy fat, oleic acid, which is thought to possibly reduce the risk of chronic conditions such a heart disease and dementia. Additionally sited to reduce total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, inflammatory cytokines and blood sugar, as well as symptoms of arthritis! And it doesn’t stop there, avocado oil is high in lutein, an antioxidant that can only be obtained from your diet and has major benefits for the eyes, known to possibly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Additionally, avocado oil enhances the absorption of nutrients, as some nutrients, need to be combined with fat in order for our bodies to absorb them, such as the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D and K, as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Finally — avocado oil can be used on anything, particularly when cooking on high heat, as it has a whopping 520 degree smoke point!
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promotes the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, also allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
