Artichoke and Red Kidney Beans with Fennel and Tomato

Alrighty, as promised, another recipe calculation.  I'll admit that this time because I was already thinking about writing this that I had a little more focus on 'guessing out' the calories to get close to my general goal of 30cal/oz.  25% either way would be fine for me really.  Most meals I add kefir or in summer sometimes juice to dilute just before serving so there's usually extra, which in my case is no bad thing.

But I also tried to think of it as food.  The Hare Krisna religion has food very much in a place at the centre, treating it as a spiritual sacrament as well as bodily nourishment.  As an interesting aside, as well as being lacto-vegetarian, their diet does not contain onion, garlic, or any related plants.  They are viewed as medicine and not food.  What impressed me the most about their food practice is that they cook with a sense of joy and thankfulness, and always prayerfully offer the first bite to Godhead.  They make food that they'd be pleased to plate up for God in other words, and I think that's a great way to approach our nutrition.

So naturally, I am often drawn towards making something that would taste good too.  Or maybe it's just overcompensation because I can't even taste, let alone eat.  Anyway, before the last-minute addition of the agave syrup and walnuts (I'd leave the pine nuts in. Hmm, maybe the walnuts too, but then you'd probably go with grilled goat's cheese on top as well......) this would have been a nice dish.

Artichokes, trimmed, x 4:  240 cal
Fennel bulbs, medium x 2:  78 cal
Red Kidney Beans (tinned organic, net weight) 240g:  240 cal
Tomatos, (tinned organic) 400g:  76 cal
Pine Nuts 40g:  270 cal
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4T:  181 cal
Balsamic Vinegar 1T: 36 cal
Walnuts 50g: 348 cal
Agave syrup 100ml: 300 cal
Oat milk, organic, 1L: 580 cal
Cous cous cooked (dry weight) 100g: 341 cal
braising water added to thin for blending also

Total volume2.25 litres = 9 x 250 ml servings @298 cals each
1.19 cal/ml
35 cal/fl oz.

I cooked it as if for plating up, as it seemed right to do that.  I simply braised the trimmed artichoke quarters and sliced fennel in a little water for maybe 5 or 10 minutes (they were both fresh from the garden 5 minutes before), drained the water, keeping it for blending later, then added in the tomatoes, kidney beans, balsamic, some olive oil and just simmered it all for a few minutes.  If I were then to cook for eating people I'd reduce it a bit more and add in some tomato paste too I think.  I'd serve with nicely fluffed couscous (I'd have cooked a lot more though obviously) and the pine nuts scattered on top after being lightly toasted.  Crumble feta over as well, or arrange in a shallow casserole dish with strips of goat's cheese kervella on top and grill until the cheese browns slightly.   But since I was blending I just put the whole lot in the blender with the cooked couscous and wound it up to speed.  it's a pretty faded dusty pinkish red colour, and smells lovely.

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Artichoke and Red Kidney Beans with Fennel and Tomato