Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you… fall in love! That’s what I’ve always said. Loving or crushing on someone is the best feeling.

Whether it’s a class crush, work crush or maybe you are still crushing on your long-term partner, the giddy feelings never dissipate. 

With love in the air and Valentine’s Day upon us, it’s time to take action on those feelings. There’s always the option to go out to eat, but the sentiment of making a meal from home can be more romantic and easier on your wallet.

When you think of the perfect date night meal, maybe your mind goes straight to something like “marry me chicken,” but not everyone is comfortable cooking meat — especially chicken. So maybe go in another direction with “marry me beans.” Full of fiber and protein, beans are a great option for people looking to reduce their meat intake or get a few more veggies on their plate. 

Think about mixing in greens like chard, or even kale to help elevate the dish. 

With this easy recipe for two, you can not only impress your crush with a delicious meal, but maybe even be the bean to their heart. 

Ingredients:

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

1 small diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic minced

¼ teaspoon chilli  flakes

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 14oz can of veggie stock (or 1.5 cups)

1 can of white beans (cannellini beans, navy beans, or great northern beans) rinsed and drained thouroghly

2 medium handfuls of leafy greens roughly chopped like kale (stems removed), chard or spinach

½ to1 tablespoon of lemon juice (to taste)

¼ cup parmesan cheese + more for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with toasted sourdough or another hearty bread

Instructions:

  1. In a medium sized frying pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
  2. Dice the yellow onion into small ½ inch by ½ inch pieces and mince the garlic with a knife or with a microplane.
  3. When the oil has heated, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes keeping a close eye as to not let them burn.
  4. While onions are cooking, drain your beans of choice and thoroughly rinse in the sink making sure to get rid of the juice. 
  5. When onions are starting to brown and become translucent, lower the heat to medium-low, add a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, dried thyme and red pepper flakes (if you want a little spice). 
  6. Continue cooking for about 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant.
  7. Add ½ the can of beans into the pan and begin to mash them with a spoon or a potato masher.
  8. Pour in the can of veggie stock and simmer the broth on low heat.
  9. After 4 minutes add in your leafy greens and the rest of the beans and continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes.
    1. If using chard, cut the leaves and stems into 1 inch bite-size pieces.
    2. If using kale, cut the leaves off of the stems and cut into 1 inch bite-size pieces.
  10. Mix in the parmesan cheese,lemon juice, salt and pepper the dish to taste.
  11. Serve with toast of your choice and add extra cheese if you want!