Spinach Feta Lima Beans – Doctor’s Orders

The doctor has read me the riot act. Apparently, I haven’t been eating according to Hoyle. Why not? you ask. When you’re cooking for others, you don’t always cook what you want or know is best. Your loved ones — or at least, my loved ones — may not favour legumes. 

But now that I’m becoming more self-serving, those neglected jars in my pantry will finally get some attention, beginning with the one marked “Lima Beans.”

Spinach Feta Lima Beans 

• 1/2 lb lima beans
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 each, garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb spinach
• 28 oz can tomatoes, diced (may use whole and crush them)
• 1/4 c minced dill
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c crumbled feta
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
• lemon, as garnish (optional)

Soak beans overnight. Drain.

In a large pot, simmer beans, well covered by water, for 40 minutes. You can use celery, onion and dehydrated garlic to flavour the cooking water. Drain the beans.

In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add onions and cook on medium heat, stirring for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add spinach, half at a time, covering the first half for 2 minutes to let it wilt.

Remove pot from the heat. Add cooked beans, a tablespoon of oil, tomatoes and dill. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point you can take a break for a day, refrigerating the beans.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large 13×9-inch baking dish, layer the beans, feta and Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Garnish with lemon. Serves 8.

Spinach Feta Lima Beans Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Adapted from a very reliable source: The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.   
• I had no idea just how much I value each and every subscriber to JC, until last week when I thought I lost you — all of you, gone in an instant through a technical error. You can’t imagine my relief at finding you restored. Now that we’re all reunited, take a moment to think of just one person who might enjoy JC and encourage her/maybe him to subscribe.
• Beans, Beans, good for the heart, the more you eat them, the more you’re smart!

Dehydrated Garlic – a teaspoonful was tossed into cooking water to flavour the beans.