Instant Pot Gigantic Butter Beans with Bacon & Optional Vegan Version, March Snow, + Why Exercise Even When YOU Don’t Want To

These luscious gigantic beans are inspired by my husband’s favorite pasta dish and Pasta alla Gricia, a classic Roman dish that is similar to pasta carbonara, but this recipe doesn’t require any egg yolks.

The no-cream creaminess is created by vigorously stirring pecorino, sizzling pancetta or bacon and its fat (optional) into the warm, brothy beans, all of which emulsify into a spoon-coating peppery sauce.

However you can get the same creaminess by using an emersion hand blender and blending some of the beans. They are just as delicious without meat!

Serve the beans with bread to mop up the sauce and rice if you dare😉. You can also use good quality think cut bacon and like I said above, skip the meat. I have made this both ways but when I do make it with meat, I use bacon vs pancetta since I have a farmer friend who raises clean meat.

Try to use good pancetta, guanciale or thick-cut bacon — the kind of pork product is less important than its quality.

I love salt…but if you don’t, you may not need to add any especially if you’re using salted broth.

And of course, if you don’t have an Instant Pot you can do all of this top of your stove. It’s the perfect meal on a cold windy March Day.

Speaking of cold and windy…looks like we are going to have another winter that never ends. Once again, this month’s winter storm recked havoc on my plans to meet up with my husband over the weekend.

He’s been spending his weekends near his mom in St. Paul since we returned from Florida. She took a bad fall and he’s doing everything he can to make her transition to rehab & assistant living a bit easier for her🥰.

It’s definitely getting harder to get motivated to run outside with the slippery roads and ice but there’s one thing I do know, I always feel better when I am done!

Even when you don’t want to exercise, do it anyways because moving your body outside is directly related to how you’ll feel both mentally & physically! There’s never a day I regret going for a walk or run, even when the weather is less than favorable🙄.
If you want to achieve your goals in life, whatever they are, don’t let obstacles get in the way…and this includes the weather!
Stay on course, stick to your plan, and keep showing up day after day, even on days you don’t feel like it! 
When you do this, you will eventually achieve what you’ve set out to accomplish💚.

Do I always feel like running at sunrise when it freezing cold out? Or going out for a walk in the middle of a March snowstorm? Or trying to run on icy roads?

Absolutely not, but I always feel better both physically and mentally which in turn makes me way more productive in my Shaklee business. I’m also a better wife, daughter, and friend. I just feel better and I can guarantee you will too! 

So here’s my message…Physically get up and get out the door and MOVE! 5 4 3 2 1 GO.

Instant Pot Butter Beans With Optional Pecorino and Bacon

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces dried gigante, butter (lima) or other large beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 3 cups chicken broth or veggie broth for vegan option
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 4 ounces pancetta, guanciale or thick-cut bacon, cut into ½- to 1-inch batons (optional)
• Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• ½ cup (about 1¾ ounces) grated pecorino, plus more for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together the beans, broth, olive oil, garlic and 1 teaspoon of the pepper in your instant pot or slow cooker or dutch oven. Cover and cook beans until tender. In an instant pot it’s about 30 minutes on high. They will take longer on the stove and about 7 hours on low in a slow cooker.
2. If using pancetta or bacon, put in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the pork has rendered most of its fat and is deep golden brown and crunchy in spots, about 10 minutes. (You may need to lower the heat to medium-low and/or add a spoonful of water to keep the pork from scorching as the fat renders.). I have made these beans with out pork too and they are delicious.
3. Add the pork if using and its fat, the lemon juice and the pecorino into the beans in the slow cooker, instant pot or dutch oven. Stir vigorously until the pecorino has completely melted and the sauce has become smooth and emulsified, lightly coating the back of a spoon. Taste and add more pepper if you like. Pass more pecorino and pepper at the table. Use Vegan cheese in place of the pecorino.

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What’s your favorite pasta dish?

Do you purchase your meat from a local farmer?

Are you experiencing a wet cold snowy march?

I am so over winter! You?