I was hungry and C was still napping so I decided to make a Bean Dip.

Easy Peasy.

2 Cans of beans + stuff = dip.  Yup.  It’s almost that easy.

J would stop asking for more and started crying when I cut him off.  He must’ve eaten 1/2 a Cup of this stuff!  R, however, wouldn’t even taste it.  Funny little things, aren’t they?

Dinner tonight was spaghetti tossed with that amazing Garlic Confit and topped with BOTH crunchy roasted beans (small white & garbanzo) and recently harvested cherry tomatoes from the garden.  I will smell _delightful_ tomorrow.  *smirk*

Roasting canned beans is super duper easy.  You drain and rinse beans – we like garbanzo & small white beans.  You lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  You can add whatever herbs & seasonings you like (thyme, rosemary, garlic, lemon wedges, etc) or leave plain.  You stir to coat, add a little salt and pepper and toss the pan into a hot oven (350 or so) for 20 minutes.  Shake the pan every once in a while so the beans turn and get crispety-crunchy.  MMMMMmmmmm!  These beans roasted in the same amount of time as it took to heat up the pot o’ water to a boil and cook the pasta.

After I’d drained the pasta, I added a few Tablespoons of the confit oil and 2 cloves of the garlic, topped with the crunchy goodness and a handful of the fresh tomatoes.  I smiled a lot while eating.

BTW – R ate almost a whole cup of the roasted beans by herself tonight.  She got very irate when I told her ‘enough already!’  Funny, she won’t try the Bean Dip but she’ll gladly shovel in whole handfuls of roasted beans….  Like I said, Funny little things, aren’t they?

Bean Dip by Me

Printable Recipe HERE

Dairy-FREE

Ingredients:

2  Cans of Beans (today* I used 1 can Black and 1 can Kidney from Goya – I like the way Goya beans taste the best), drained and rinsed well

Please note: I often just use whatever beans I have on hand.  It’s more fun that way.

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon  Honey (remember – little t=teaspoon!)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic (I used the pre-chopped stuff in the jar)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

1 teaspoon Table Salt

1 Tablespoon Tahini (it’s a ground sesame paste.  I find it next to the peanut butter in my market)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

How To:

1- Add beans to a food processor.  Pulse until it smoothens out a bit.

2- Add everything else either all at once or one after the other, tasting as you go to see if you want more or it’s okay.

3- When you’ve added everything taste it again to see what you think it needs.  Walk away and come back in 5 minutes.  Now taste it again and think about what it needs…enough salt?  Enough zing?  Enough sweet?  Enough acid (lemon)?  Perfect?  SWEET!  Serve …or hog the bowl to yourself.

Roasting Beans by Me

Printable Recipe HERE

Dairy-FREE, Gluten-FREE

Ingredients:

1 or 2 cans Beans, drained and rinsed well.  I prefer roasting canned Goya beans, but try whatever you like!

Olive Oil

Seasonings like garlic, thyme, rosemary, etc.

Salt & Pepper

How To:

1- Oven at 350ºF. **I’ve also roasted at 375ºF and 425ºF.  Just keep your eyes on the beans to ensure you don’t fill your house with smoke and nasty burnt beans.

2- Add beans to a baking sheet, but don’t crowd as you want them to roast, not steam.

3- Drizzle with Olive Oil.

4- Shake the sheet to coat the beans, or use your fingers or a spoon to mix.

5- Add whatever you want to the baking sheet (garlic, herbs, spices, etc.).

6- Top with Salt and Pepper.

7- Into the oven she goes!

8- Roast for 20 minutes or so, shaking the pan to roll the beans over and get them crunchy on all sides.

9- Take the baking sheet outta the oven when the beans look crunchy enough for you.  Don’t eat right away as you’ll burn your mouth and that hurts.

Eat outta the bowl as a snack, top a salad or pasta or…well, anything.

*clapping*