Some days I want to shove some clothes in a bag, hop on a train, and venture out with a rail pass and a longing for adventure. On our honeymoon, my husband and I traveled Italy, and I remember those days of watching the small towns pass through the railway car windows with much fondness. The olive trees and grapevines, the cobblestone streets, the architecture and history… When my wanderlust is strong, but my future vacations are more daydreams than definite plans, I satisfy my desire by palate until I can by plane.
When I saw the Tuscan White Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, which is a replication of a favorite dish of Colleen’s from a recent trip she took to Italy, I knew it would cure what ailed me. The mixture of Northern beans, sautéed with garlic, onion, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, and seasoned with sage and basil surprised me with both its simplicity and its complexity of flavors. It may be my favorite dish I’ve made from Vegan Table so far, and that’s really saying something. She also recommends trying this dish over polenta or pasta, and I will definitely want to try that in the future for a main dish.
I served the beans with broccoli dressed with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto. The sun-dried tomatoes give a depth of flavor that is a step above traditional pesto. I tested this recipe last year, and it has become a regular in my home. It’s fantastic to toss with steamed green beans, in addition to using as a sandwich spread with roasted vegetables or over pasta with artichoke hearts, olives, and chopped tomatoes.
Finally, I rounded out the plate with sautéed collard greens. No complicated recipe here—just some greens sauteed with garlic, lemon juice, a small drop of balsamic vinegar, and topped with toasted pine nuts. It’s not a traditional Italian dish, but collard greens are welcome on any plate, as far as I’m concerned.
After seconds (and thirds) of the white beans, I pored over our honeymoon photo books and travel journals with a contented belly. I basked in memories of those days in the hillsides of Perugia maneuvering the dirt roads in a Fiat, and I relished the dreams of travels to come. Sometimes the anticipation is almost as satisfying as the trip itself.
