White Beans with Roasted Asparagus and Peppers in Chimichurri Sauce

Often times we can get stuck in a rut when it comes to dinner. Making the same flavors and foods all the time can get old.  I know I am guilty of it; I tend to use the same herbs a lot.  However, I recently was given large bunches of parsley and cilantro, herbs I tend to forget about. I decided to step outside the flavor realm I normally live in.  My creativity started to take over, thinking about what I can use them with.  Then I was watching a cooking show, and the woman made some Chimichurri sauce.  It had both herbs in it!  Bingo…I created my own version of it and served it over a simple main dish of white beans with roasted asparagus and peppers. It was a delicious and flavorful sauce, sort of like a pesto but without the nuts and cheese.  It would be wonderful over grilled meat or fish as well for those of you that are not vegetarians.

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

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Servings: 4 Servings | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Ready in: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 cup fresh organic parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh organic cilantro
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 organic garlic cloves
• One large pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Water as needed
• 1 bunch organic asparagus
• 1 organic red or orange bell pepper, cut into strips
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• 4 cups cooked white beans (such as navy or great northern, available in bulk)
• 1 organic garlic clove

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.

While it heats, make the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth (adding a little water if too thick, you want it to be a thin sauce consistency). Set aside.

Toss the asparagus and peppers with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and place on the baking sheet. Roast for about 15 minutes or until starting to brown at the edges.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive and add the beans and garlic and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add sea salt to taste. Once beans have heated through and veggies have cooked, place beans on each of four plates, and top each with some asparagus and peppers. Spoon the chimichurri sauce over each and serve!