June 25, 2023

15-Minute Lemony Navy Beans

Let’s set the scene.

You just got home from a long day of work. The fridge is empty and you are starving. Feeling a lack of kitchen inspiration, you begin scrolling through all the usual food delivery apps but nothing speaks to you. What on earth are you going to eat?!

Enter these simple, creamy, and nourishing lemony navy beans! Thinly sliced lemons and fresh parsley really make this quick and easy meal feel luxurious. And why not pamper your soul with a bit of luxury?? This is self-care. ☺

Don’t stress if you don’t have navy beans, any white bean will work. These beans have become a go-to meal because I can make it from my stash of “emergency food”. This is really just my fun name for “I’m starving and running low on energy and fresh produce but still want easy healthy options to feed myself like a real adult” food. Usually included in my curated stash of goodies are a variety of precooked beans, lemons, and frozen sourdough. The trick for the perfect guilt free canned beans? Taking a quick look at the ingredients. It should be no more than three ingredients: organic beans, water, and salt. Some even use a bit of Japanese flair and use kombu in place of salt! It helps to go with low sodium options so you have more control over the salt content in the dish.

Sourdough pairs really well here. The trick with freezing any type of bread is to freeze it in an airtight bag as close to freshly baked as possible. If it is something that requires slicing, do it BEFORE freezing. When you want to eat it, pop it in the oven and set the oven to preheat to 350. When the oven reaches temp, let the bread sit in the oven for an additional few minutes until it looks perfect.

Coolest magic trick with bread. Yes.
Pairs really well with this hearty meal. Yes.

FOR THE FOOD NERDS! Sourdough gets its signature taste from the probiotic-bacteria that live in the sourdough starter. These gut healthy bacteria are similar to the bacteria from other fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi. For a long time, it was assumed that the probiotic bacteria from sourdough gets killed during the baking process resulting in the loss of gut health benefits. According to a study cited by Dr. William Li in his book Eat to Beat Disease, the healthy probiotic bacteria from the sourdough DOES somehow still benefit our microbiome even though it appears that the bacteria do not survive the baking process. (Click here for the link to the book #notsponsored #notaffliated)

If you have a bit more time and want to go the sweet potato route, just scrub a sweet potato or two and cut it lengthwise. Coat very lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a sheet tray, skin side up, and pop it into your 375 oven for about 30 minutes. Personally, I do this in my toaster oven so temps and times may vary. The result is a caramelized and fluffy sweet potato that is great as is…but why settle for great when we can have luxury? Top the freshly baked sweet potato with these lemony beans and kick your feet up for the night. You’re welcome.

FOR THE FOOD NERDS! Just 15 oz (about 1 can) of cooked navy beans contains approximately 52% of your daily value for magnesium. According to an April 2022 article from The Sleep Foundation, magnesium has many health benefits including helping your body relax and destress! This can lead to more restful sleep. Click here to read the article.