Sausage and Bean Stew

This is a real homely recipe, and sort of a healthy version of sausages and baked beans. I like to use top quality sausages for this recipe to give it a really nice flavour - Tesco Finest Chorizo Style Sausages are my favourite - they have a really dense meaty texture and a great flavour - they're also 2 packs for €4.75 pretty much all the time.

This dish is high in fibre and protein from the beans, contains loads of cooked tomatoes so gives you a lycopene boost - known for its antioxidant properties and you get a veggy boost from the carrots, celery and onions too. You can add chilli to this dish if you want a spicy kick, but I chose to leave it out to make it more appealing to everyone in the family on this occasion.


Sausage and Bean Stew
Ingredients
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 sticks celery, washed and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tins tomatoes (whatever kind you want, chopped, whole, with herbs, with chilli, whatever)
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
8 sausages
1 tin butter beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
2 tins cannellini beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 dessert spoon wholegrain mustard
Rice or Couscous to serve

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Add a bit of water if needs be and some black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes until softened. 
2. Add in the tins of tomatoes, herbs and a can of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins. 
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the sausages until browned and cooked through. Put on the rice/couscous at this stage too.
4. Add the sausages to the tomato mixture then add the beans. Stir well.
5. Bring back to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir in the mustard and season to taste. 
6. Serve with rice and some crusty bread.