Eating Light, Especially at Night
Garlic Bean & Broccoli Bowl Recipe
One night, long ago when I was in need of a light dinner, I invented this Garlic Bean & Broccoli Bowl. I had low expectations for myself, but this dish ended up being shockingly delicious. I’ve since made it more than a hundred times. The beauty here is its ingredients are 1. healthy, and 2. all pretty much pantry/freezer items, so things you may already have on hand.
Garlic is the star of the show. A whole head of garlic, when stored properly in a cool, dry, dark place, can last for several months, so I stock up on garlic and always have loads of it tucked away in my kitchen’s pantry. Garlic adds so much flavor to food, but it is truly medicinal, as it’s antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal (including anti-mold), anti-parasitic, and rich in the phytochemical allicin, a sulfur compound that prevents disease. Thus, whenever it’s appropriate, I go big on garlic, like here in The Garlic Bean & Broccoli Bowl.
The Garlic Bean & Broccoli Bowl
Ingredients:
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• an entire head of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 cans cannellini bean, rinsed
• 2 10ounce bags of frozen broccoli florets, steamed
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more)Directions:
• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Over medium heat, combine the oil and garlic into a large iron (oven-friendly) skillet on the stove top, sauté until garlic is golden brown. Toss in the steamed broccoli and salt, then toss in the beans and tomato paste. Beware of splatters.
• Add the boiling water and lightly stir to assimilate the paste and evenly spread the ingredients.
• Once everything is in the skillet, turn down the heat and let simmer on the stovetop on low for about 3-5minutes.
• Give it one more stir, and put in the oven for roasting. Roast in the oven for 5minutes, and then let cool for another 5minutes. Most of the liquid will have burned off.
• Serve & enjoy…and feel free to sprinkle feta or parmesan cheese on top or garnished with cilantro or parsley. Also, great stuffed in a pita.
One medium-sized bowl of my Garlic Bean & Broccoli Bowl is my ideal dinner. It hits just right. I feel fed but not full. I highly recommend eating lightly at night, especially for women over 50. Big meals eaten too close to bedtime can disturb sleep, and overburden the body. I find menopausal symptoms, like night sweats and insomnia, flare up when big meals are eaten too late in the day. (No fun!) And when is an ideal dinner time? My rule of thumb is at least 3hours before lights out. Bon Appetit!
“A person with home-cooked meals is likely to have a healthier diet than someone who frequently eats out, regardless of their income level.” - Dan Buettner, Blue Zones Expert