Harissa Beans with Kale (A Quiet Pot)

A simple pot, it’s quick and warms from the inside out. There’s eating and drinking in it, I hope you enjoy it.

Prep about 10 mins. Cook time: Approx 25|30 mins. My kind of dish 😊

It’s a tad spicy, it’s hearty and delicious

It serves about four. Blend it or I like to leave it chunky.

Ingredients

• Olive oil ( I tend to use Extra Virgin)

• 1 white onion, finely diced

• 2–3 carrots, sliced into 1cm rounds

• 2 celery sticks, finely diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tbsp harissa paste

• 500ml vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ( Butter beans work here too)

• A few handfuls of chopped kale

• Lemon, to finish

• Sea salt + black pepper

Method

1. Warm a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
   Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently for 8–10 minutes until everything softens.

2. Add the garlic, thyme, and fennel. Stir for a minute so the spices open up.

3. Add the tomato purée and harissa. Cook for 1–2 minutes so they deepen in colour and lose their raw edge.

4. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the bay leaf.
   Bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Add the cannellini beans and cook for 15–20 minutes, letting the broth thicken slightly.

6. Stir in the kale for the last few minutes until it wilts but stays bright.

7. Taste and adjust. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts everything. and a dollop of greek yoghurt

Why this works (the culinary medicine bit)

• Beans + kale = fibre and plant diversity.
  Good for digestion, blood sugar, and keeping energy steady.

• Tomato paste + harissa = warmth + lycopene.
  A little anti-inflammatory lift.

• Aromatics (garlic, onion, thyme) support the gut and immune system.