Heart Healthy Recipe: Thyme Scented White Bean Cassoulet

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, is a member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team. Here, she shares a heart-healthy recipe that's lower in fat and high in fiber.

Celebrate American Heart Month with a vegetarian meal! A study done at the University of Oxford in England reveals that the risk of hospitalization and death from heart disease is 32% lower in vegetarians than in people who eat meat and fish. Researchers say that the health benefit is likely related to having lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

While following a vegetarian diet likely not enough to prevent heart disease, choosing more meatless meals can decrease your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as increase your intake of heart healthy unsaturated fats and fiber.

Try this cassoulet where meatless Italian sausage stands in for the traditional pork sausage. With this recipe, you can also saute the sausage slices in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, then stir into the dish.

Thyme Scented White Bean Cassoulet

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut carrot
1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut parsnip
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked Great Northern beans
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 ounce grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 links frozen meatless Italian sausage, thawed and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, parsnip, and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Place in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Add beans and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf). Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and butter in a small bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Stir breadcrumb mixture and sausage into bean mixture; sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information

• Amount per serving
• Calories: 298
• Fat: 9.9g
• Saturated fat: 3.9g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g
• Protein: 13.8g
• Carbohydrate: 40.5g
• Fiber: 10.4g
• Cholesterol: 14mg
• Iron: 3.5mg
• Sodium: 709mg
• Calcium: 187mg

Source: Robin Robertson, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2004