Slow Cooker Sausage and Bean Casserole

This is honest, simple comfort food. It's isn't getting any warmer out there and eating a warming supper with family around the table is what winter is made for. I just love winter food and what could be better than sausages and beans with a pinch of heat.

This one pot wonder practically makes itself, just chuck everything into the slow cooker, turn it on and when you come in from a long day, it's there to greet you.

What better than a meal where the sausages cook in their own juices, there are vegetables galore and the beans are not alone low G.I but also high fibre and low fat. Meanwhile all this goodness will stick to your ribs for the evening and might even prevent you from dipping into the cookie jar. Now who could argue with that!

Oven Method:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4, brown the sausages in an cast iron casserole, add the remaining ingredients  plus tinned beans instead of uncooked beans minus the spinach. Cook with the lid on in the preheated oven for 60-80 minutes or until the vegetable are cooked, add the spinach. Serve in warm bowls.

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 Medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (I use Rooster potatoes in all my recipes)
1 Large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 Stick of celery, chopped
½ Large onion, peeled and diced
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
450ml Hot chicken stock
2 Cans Cannellini beans, drained (or 100g dried beans soaked overnight and rinsed in running water)
1 tsp Oil
16 (454g) Good quality pork sausages
100g Fresh spinach (or 200g frozen spinach defrosted and drained)

Seasoning
1 tbsp Tomato paste
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Plain flour
1 tsp Cornflour
½ tsp Mixed herbs
½ tsp Paprika (optional)
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Onion salt

Method
Place the prepared vegetables except the spinach into the basin of the slow cooker.

Add the hot chicken stock, beans and seasoning.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, brown the sausages on all sides and add them to the slow cooker basin. Stir to combine and place the lid firmly on the cooker. 

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours. 10-15 minutes before the end of your cooking time, add the fresh spinach and allow it to wilt down before stirring it through the casserole. If you are using frozen spinach, squeeze out all the excess water and stir in just before serving.