Rosemary Simmered Cannellini Beans and Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings

Beans work great when cooking for vegetarians and omnivores at the same time. They serve as a protein packed entree for the vegetarian and a fiberful side dish for the meat eater. Plus they are super easy to make. I like to make a big batch of dried beans and then freeze them in 1-2 cup portions, then when I want to use them I either move them into the fridge the night before or microwave them. The dried beans are cheaper but if they seem like to much prep work, canned beans work just as well and at .99 cents a can they're pretty cheap as well. Much less costly than meat. I did use canned cannellini beans for this dish because I didn't have any dried on hand. It was a snap to make, I just simmered them with some aromatic rosemary and roasted garlic. I love roasted garlic, its deep caramelized flavor takes garlic to another level.

I made Parmesan garlic chicken wings for my boyfriend, he said they were very good but I can;t say for myself. I used this recipe from Steamy Kitchen and just made a few changes based on what I had in my kitchen. I subbed dried basil for the dried oregano because some how, I was completely out of oregano! And I used roasted garlic instead of fresh like the Steamy Kitchen recipe called because not everyone enjoys raw garlic.
Another aspect that makes it easier to cook vegetarian and meat meals at the same time is to use the same herbs and seasonings for both dishes.

Rosemary Simmered Cannellini Beans

Ingredients
1 can cannellini beans, not drained
1/4 cup water
1-2 tablespoons roasted garlic
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or basil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil and Parmesan cheese to serve

Directions
1. Combine everything in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. When it just reaches a boil turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it thickens. Serve topped with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese