Tiny French Beans with Smoked Sausage

Find flageolets, tiny French kidney beans, in specialty food stores or online at www.indianharvest.com. For a nice presentation, garnish with thyme sprigs.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

• 2  pounds  smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1/3  cup  minced shallots
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  dried flageolets or other dried white beans, (about 1 pound)
• 2  cups  water
• 1/4  cup  minced fresh or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon  celery seeds
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan, and place in an electric slow cooker. Heat the oil in pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Sort and wash beans. Add beans, shallot mixture, water, and the remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 8 hours or until beans are tender.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

397 (30% from fat)

Fat:

13.1g (sat 3.7g,mono 4.3g,poly 3.7g)

Protein:

29.7g

Carbohydrate:

41.4g

Fiber:

8.6g

Cholesterol:

75mg

Iron:

5.2mg

Sodium:

1105mg

Calcium:

143mg