Comfort Food

Sometimes on a chilly, cloudy day, you need comfort food.  If you are cooking for someone who is going through chemo, it is a good day if they are hungry and have an appetite for comfort food.  Focusing on high nutrient value is so important, but sometimes, having high nutrient food with a little something naughty in moderation is just fine, especially if it spikes their appetite and builds their strength!

I have been busy this month leading a cleanse, and I have all sorts of new recipes that I've created that I can't wait to share with you soon!

But in the meantime, here is your comfort food recipe for the day. While I love soaking beans and spending time preparing food, the thing I might love best about this recipe is that it calls for canned beans and artichoke hearts!  So you can make it in a jiffy....good food, fast.  I like to call it fast elegance.  I hope you enjoy it!

White Bean, Leek, and Artichoke Gratin

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, cut into half moons
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 cans white beans (I like Great Northern--they are actually the smallest!), drained & rinsed
1 can artichoke hearts, cut into quarters
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
sea salt

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Put a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and leeks and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the celery, salt the veggies, and sauté 8 minutes or so, until both veggies begin to turn translucent.  Add the garlic and heat until fragrant. 
• Add the (drained) beans, and (drained) artichokes, pour the white wine over them and stir.  Once the wine begins to boil, immediately turn off heat.
• Add the fresh thyme, and stir in almost all of the parmesan.  
• Top with the remaining parmesan and put pan in the oven.  Cook until cheese is browned and gratin is bubbling.
• Let cool a tiny bit and serve!