This is my own version of pasta with beans. There are many ways you can prepare this dish so have fun and don’t feel restricted buy the ingredients. This recipe is more like a stew. It’s economical, speedy and nutritious –perfect.

The flavours in this dish mix wonderfully and create a soothing yummie dish that I always receive complements for.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic -minced
1-2 small white onions (1 cup) –minced
2 ribs Celery Chopped

1 Large carrot diced (or 1 big handful baby carrots sliced)
1 large Yukon Gold potato diced (with skin on)

1 14oz/398ml tin plain tomato sauce (I use “Heinz Tomato Sauce”) OR 28oz/796ml tin whole tomatoes crushed by hand
2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (I simply add the water and plop in 1 Veggie Chicken Broth cube –simple)
1 19oz/540ml can of red Kidney Beans or Cannellini Beans (I prefer the kidney for this dish)

Dried Mixed Italian Herbs –a generous “palm-full”
(Pour he dried mixed herbs in he palm of your hand and with the other palm, crush the herbs to release the flavour)

.5 tsp of Cayenne Pepper –optional

1 cup (large coffee mug) of uncooked whole wheat Rotini Pasta

4 cups of chopped fresh Kale or fresh Spinach
(for kale –remove the tough ribs fold over the leaf –right to left and slice off the far right rib –then chop as with spinach)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmesan or Romano Cheese - optional
Olive Oil – optional, but highly recommended

Directions:

1. Heat on Medium, pop a medium-large pot on the stove and add your olive oil.
   Add your garlic and onions and sauté or about 3 min.
   Add your Celery and sauté 2 min
   Add your Potatoes and Carrots sauté another 5 min.
2. Add Tomatoes or Tomato Sauce, Broth (2C water and stock cube), Beans, Herbs and Cayenne if using. Add your pasta and Stir!
3. Bring this all to a boil then turn down to a simmer and loosely fit a lid on your pot. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the veggies and pasta are tender.

4. Add your greens (spinach or kale) stir to wilt –with kale simmer a further 2 minutes.

5. Serve in bowls drizzle of fine extra virgin olive oil and pass the cheese at the table.

Leftovers are amazing.

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