In keeping with yesterday’s post on simple, beautiful things, the other night I made an old favorite for dinner:

Like songs, I associate certain foods with certain people, times and/or places, and it took me a long while to be able to make this again. Haha yeah, glad that was only temporary. This is too good to “belong” to any one person/place/thing. It belongs on my dinner table. And yours. Here’s a streamlined version of the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15-oz can butter beans
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• ~1/8 c oil cured olives, chopped
• dried basil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan.
2. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant (~3 minutes).
3. Add tomatoes, beans, and spices. Stir to incorporate.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.

I served mine over steamed kale and added some herbed feta on top. You could also do this with couscous, quinoa, brown rice, or other grain. Goat cheese is a great substitute for feta here—I just happen to be on a feta kick.

Are there any foods—or songs, for that matter—you associate with a particular person, time or place?