When the weather is cold, I crave deep, rich flavors, but I don’t always want the heartiness that comes with a stew. Recently I combined two of my favorite easy recipes to make one meal and it felt a little like a masterpiece. Christmas Limas (also known as Chestnut Limas or Calico Beans) are the easiest thing ever, and this recipe for Roasted Mushrooms & Spinach is as versatile as it comes. When you put them together, you have flavor meets vitamins meets cozy—it’s a win/win/win. If you have mushroom haters in your house (like I do), just give them the Beans and Spinach over some rice.

Christmas Lima Beans with Roasted Spinach, Mushrooms, & Shallots

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dry Christmas Lima Beans (you can use any lima bean, but the Christmas Limas are extra meaty and delicious)
1 onion, sliced in half
1 carrot (or a handful of frozen carrots)
1 stalk celery (or a handful of frozen celery)
1 bay leaf
swirl of olive oil
salt to taste

10 ounces fresh spinach
12-16 ounces mushrooms (button or cremini work well here), sliced
3-4 shallots, sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Rinse dry beans and put in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Put sliced onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf in the pot with your beans and cover it with water. You want about two inches of water above your beans. Swirl a little olive oil over the top.
Bring to a rolling boil. Let boil hard [and uncovered] for 5 minutes, turn the stove down, partially cover, and let beans simmer until tender. This will take anywhere from an hour to three, depending on how hot your burner is and how old your beans are.
Once your beans are done, you can turn the stove off, put the top on, and let them sit on the stove until you’re ready to eat dinner (or refrigerate for use later in the week).
When you’re ready to make the roasted vegetables, preheat the oven to 425°. Toss sliced mushrooms, sliced garlic, sliced shallots with 2 Tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper and arrange on a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer. Roast 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Add spinach to sheet pan and toss to mix. Roast for 2-3 minutes, stir, and then roast another 2-3 minutes until fully wilted.
If your beans have gotten cold, reheat them, then mix it all together for a taste explosion.

The leftovers make for an amazing omelette the next day, or you can heat it all up together and put a fried egg on top. So many delicious options!