Spinach Artichoke White Bean Crostini

Long name...delicious recipe.  I came across this recipe recently and since I had almost all the ingredients on hand (love when that happens!), I served it as the side dish to some pork tenderloin for dinner.  The pork tenderloin was great but I think this crostini was the star of the show.  In fact, since I reluctantly gave my husband the leftovers for lunch, I made it AGAIN as the main dish for my dinner the next night when my husband was out to dinner with some friends.

In the summer, I'm a big fan of all kind of bean salads.  And this is a great dish: cooked white beans combined with fresh spinach, basil, garlic (not surprisingly), marinated artichokes (I actually marinate my own frozen artichokes), lemon, cheese... the combination just screams summer to me. This is a great bean salad on its own but it's even better on top of toasted baguette slices.

So you could serve this spinach artichoke white bean crostini as an appetizer, side dish or main course...whatever suits you!

Spinach Artichoke White Bean Crostini
Taken from: Two Peas and Their Pod

• 15 (1/4-inch thick) slices French baguette
• Olive oil, for brushing baguette slices
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or white beans, rinsed and drained (I cook my own beans so this is approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (you can get them from a jar or marinate your own)
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (I didn't have so I substituted parmesan instead)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a large baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Using a pastry brush, brush the baguette slices lightly with olive oil. Bake until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine white beans, artichokes, spinach, basil, garlic, lemon juice, and feta cheese. Stir gently. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Spoon spinach and artichoke mixture onto the toasted baguette slices. Serve immediately.