Mediterranean Beans with Lime Kale

Sadly summer seams to be over.  The nights are getting darker and the days are getting colder.  This is the time when I don't know about you..... but I feel the need for comfort food. This inevitably lead to stodgy carb heavy meals that probably are not hitting the highs in terms of nutrition.

So is it possible to get hearty warming comfort food that is still good for you?

Well....... we like to think this recipe hits that brief.

This bean stew is filling and hearty, the spices in the sauce make it lovely and warming.  It is served with lime marinated crispy kale which is packed full of nutrients and adds a crispy texture!

Ingredients

• 2 x tins of beans of your choice (we did cannellini and butterbean)
• 1 x onion
• 1 x red pepper 
• 1 x passata (or a tin of chopped tomatoes would do)
• Sun-dried or sun blushed tomatoes
• Pitted olives (we have used black but green or mixed would also work)
• Kale
• 1-2 x lime
• Smoked paprika
• Chilli powder or Cayenne pepper (decide which you prefer according to your spice likeness)
• Salt and pepper
• Tahini (optional - but this makes the sauce seem creamy - without cream - amazzzing! this really gives that comfort food feel)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to about 190 celcius.
2. Chop the onion and lightly fry.
3. Chop the red pepper and add to the pan.
4. Once the veg is beginning to soften add the beans and the passata.  Once bubbling, reduce heat to a light simmer.
5. Add in your spices and seasoning.  Spicing is to your taste, we like it quite smokey and spicy so we would go for 2 teaspoon of paprika and the same of chilli pepper.
6. Add in the olives and the sun-dried tomatoes.
7. Simmer gently to allow the flavours to develop.  For around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. While your waiting get the kale and take out any thick stalks.  Put the kale in a sandwich bag.  Add some olive oil, salt, pepper and the juice of 1-2 limes.  Hold the end of the bag closed and "massage the kale" through the bag.  This sounds weird.... but this means the citrus from the lime will break down and soften the kale.
9. Lay the kale out on a baking tray and put in the oven for 5-10 minutes.  Keep an eye on it, you want to take it out when it has just started to go crispy.
10. Serve together in a big bowl and enjoy!!!