Beans are incredibly easy to use and a fab addition to any diet but essential to vegetarians.
They offer good levels of protein and fibre plus they come in a variety of shapes and sizes allowing to be used regularly, without culinary boredom setting in!
You can of course start from scratch with the dried form which will need soaking and boiling. This can take lots of time. However it is essential to cook them properly as they will make you very ill if the cooking instructions are not strictly adhered too. If you have the time then there are cost benefits plus you know exactly what is in your beans; no sneaky sugar or salt.
Cook time: approx. 30 minutes
Serves 2 hungry people
- 1 400gm can of mixed beans or beans of choice: Flageolet, kidney beans or maybe lentils.
- 1 Large can of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 Large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- ½ head of broccoli, broken into small florets
- 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped into 1 cm length
- 1 small fennel bulb, chopped finely
- 1 dessertspoon of mixed herbs or a handful of fresh, chives or parsley
- 300 – 500 ml vegetable stock (depending upon how much sauce you like)
- 1 dessertspoon of Red Chilli jelly or similar
- Seasoning
- Chop the onion and sauté to soften in a little water in an open pan with a lid.
- When the onion has softened, add the beans, tomatoes.
- Add the vegetable stock, garlic and herbs gently simmer for 15 minutes.
- Then add the chopped carrots, fennel and broccoli.
- Put the lid on and simmer for a further 10 minutes just until the veg are basically warmed through but not soft. If you prefer your veg soft then add at the stock stage.
- Stir in red chilli jelly just before serving.
Serving with the cous cous or brown rice or HEO mashed potatoes. And some freshly steamed vegetables of choice – preferably something green, like spinach.
