Bean Stew with Bacon and/or Chorizo

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 200 gm of bacon (I use a chemical-free bacon)

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 1 tomato peeled and chopped (I used 2 canned tomatoes)

• 2 x 400gm tins of butter beans or cannellini beans

• 250 gm chorizo (optional)

• 500ml chicken stock (I sometimes just use a vegetable stock instead)

• 4 thyme or rosemary sprigs

• salt

• extra virgin olive oil to serve with sourdough bread (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in a wide pan and put in the onion and bacon. cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring and turning over occasionally, until the bacon has released its fat and the onion is soft.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden and the bacon crisp.

Stir in the cinnamon and allspice, then add the tomato, beans and chorizo if you are using chorizo.

Pour in the stock, add the thyme or rosemary sprigs and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Season with a small amount of salt if necessary, however, I tend not to add this, because there is also salt in the stock, and during menopause, we have to also focus on reducing our blood pressure, so adding salt to meals must be done with some caution.

Serve hot and pass round the extra virgin olive oil to drizzle these beautiful omega-3 fats either on the meal or with some sourdough or ciabatta bread on the side. These types of fats are also known to boost brain health as is folate present in the side-dish of wilted spinach.