A taste of Persia – Kidney Bean and Sweet Potato Stew

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour.

Serves : 4-6

The yoghurt in this veggie stew cools the heat of the mint oil, a traditional addition called nana daagh. Serve with rice or bread.

Ingredients :

Vegetable oil, for frying
1 large onion, diced
4 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
690g (1 large jar) passata
500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
400g can kidney beans, drained
1 small packet (about 30g) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
150g Greek yoghurt
Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Method :

Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and pour in enough oil to coat the base of the pan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent, then add the garlic, stirring to ensure it doesn’t burn. Continue cooking until both have softened without browning.
Add the spices to coat the onion and cook, stirring, for a minute. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the passata. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
Stir in the sweet potato and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the potato is tender. Add the beans and most of the parsley to heat through.
Place a separate pan over a medium heat, add the dried mint and 1 tablespoon of oil. Heat the mint for a few minutes, without letting it burn.
Transfer the stew to bowls, add dollops of yoghurt and scatter over the remaining parsley, then pour over the hot mint oil and serve at once.

Roasted Parsnip, Garlic and Haricot Bean Soup with Sage

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Soup Broth Bread by Rachel Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Serves : 6

This is a supremely smooth and silky soup, topped with deliciously crisp fried sage leaves. The garlic cloves, when roasted in their skins, deliver a sweet but rounded depth of flavour. This is the perfect soup for a cold and blustery day.

Ingredients :

3 medium or 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
6 very large, whole unpeeled garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 x 400g tin haricot beans
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped sage

To serve :

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Handful sage leaves

Method :

Preheat the oven to 200oC, 180oC fan, gas mark 6. Place the parsnip and onion chunks in a roasting tray with the whole unpeeled cloves of garlic. Drizzle over the olive oil and toss the vegetables, seasoning with salt and pepper. Spread them out to cover the base of the roasting tray and place in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and a little golden around the edges.
Drain the tin of beans and tip all but a generous tablespoon of beans into the vegetables. Return to the oven for 5 minutes more.
Take the tray out of the oven and tip the beans and vegetables and any juices into a saucepan with the hot stock. Add the chopped sage and blend until smooth. Season to taste.
To serve, pour the hot soup into warm bowls. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan and allow to get hot. Add the sage leaves and fry for 10-15 seconds, until they turn a couple of shades darker and become fragrant. Spoon the sage-flavoured oil and the crispy sage leaves over the soup with the reserved beans, and enjoy.

Veg Casserole with three beans

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine, published by Diabetes.org

On the pulse – Pulses contain protein and fibre and, compared to other carb-containing foods, don’t give sharp rises to blood glucose levels. So if you have diabetes, there’s never ‘bean’ a better time to cook with them …

Serves: 2 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins

Per Serving 586g:

Carbs: 64.2g Cals: 379 Sugars: 13.3g Fat: 4.4g Sat Fat: 1.1g Salt: 0.33g
Protein: 13.1g Fibre: 15.3g

4 portions of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped (150g)
2 sticks celery, finely chopped (80g)
1 tsp roasted garlic puree or 1 clove grated garlic
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks (approx. 200g)
300ml low-salt vegetable stock
150ml dry cider
1 leek, cut into 1cm slices (150g)
2 tsp Italian seasoning
50g pearl barley
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed (235g drained weight)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onion and celery, cover and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
Add the remaining ingredients except the fresh herbs. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins or until the desired consistency.
Season with fresh ground black pepper. Scatter with the parsley and serve.

Jazzy Beans

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2020) and taken from Leon Happy Fast Food by Rebecca Seal, Jack Burke and John Vincent.

For a healthy, quick meal that’s anything but dull, try these ‘Jazzy beans’ on toast.

Ingredients :
200g can baked beans in tomato sauce
1 tsp chipotle paste
1 slice of good-quality bread, toasted
Butter or vegan alternative, for spreading
1 tsp very finely chopped shallot, spring onion or fresh chives
1/4 – 1/2 avocado, diced
A few fresh coriander leaves, freshly squeezed
Lime juice, to taste
American-style hot sauce, to taste

Method :

Warm the beans in a saucepan. Stir through the chipotle paste, to taste. Toast the bread and spread with butter or a vegan alternative. Pour the bean mixture onto the toast, then sprinkle over the chopped shallot, spring onion or chives, the avocado and coriander leaves. Squeeze over a little lime juice and a splash of hot sauce. Enjoy the jazz!

Greens and Beans Tartines

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (September 2019) and taken from “The Forest Feast Mediterranean” by Erin Gleeson.

Bean Tartines

Step One : Fry four thick slices of rustic French-style bread (live sourdough) on a medium heat in a pan with some olive oil and butter, until golden on both sides. Remove the bread from the pan, but keep it hot.

Step Two : In the pan, place three garlic cloves, 100g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, four large chard stalks, leaves and stems cut into thin ribbons and the juice of a lemon (plus a sprinkle of oil olive, salt and pepper)

Step Three : Saute for two minutes on a low to medium-low heat, until the beans are warmed and the greens wilted. Pile the mix onto the toasted bread slices and top with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Enjoy warm.

Bean and Sweet Potato Casserole

This dish will be popular even with non-vegetarians.

Serves : 4

Prep time : 30 mins
Cook time : 45 mins

Ingredients:
12oz (350g) King Edward potatoes
12oz (350g) sweet potatoes
1 tblsp (15ml) milk
1oz (25g) butter
1 tblsp (15ml) oil
1 parsnip, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 tsp (10ml) fresh thyme leaves
1 tblsp (15ml) chopped fresh parsley
14oz (396g) can chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 tblsp (15ml) split red lentils
7oz (200g) butter beans, drained

Step One : Peel the King Edward potatoes and the sweet potatoes, then cut them into chunks. Cook them together in a pan of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and mash them, then add the milk and the butter. Season well.

Step Two : Preheat the oven to Mark 4/350oF/180oC. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the parsnip, onion, carrots and leek, until soft. Stir in the herbs and the tomatoes and season to taste. Add the lentils, stir well, then bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step Three : Stir in the butter beans then turn the mixture into an ovenproof casserole dish. Arrange the mashed potato on the top, then bake in the oven for 14-20 minutes, until golden.

Oven-baked Beans

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (June 2014) and taken from Fresh and Light by Donna Hay.

This is a great meal to make when you’re short on time but need something robust to keep you going.

Serves : 4

Ingredients:
8 cloves garlic, peeled
750g cherry tomatoes
100g flat pancetta, chopped
6 sprigs fresh oregano
2 x 400g tins butter beans or large lima beans, drained and rinsed
125ml vegetable or chicken stock
Grated parmesan and chargrilled sourdough bread, to serve

Step One : Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF. Place the garlic cloves, tomatoes, pancetta and oregano in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Step Two : Add the beans and stock and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the beans are warmed through.

Step Three : Sprinkle the beans with parmesan and serve with the bread and some wilted baby spinach, if desired.

Courgette Ribbon, White Bean Smash and Pesto Bruschetta

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2019) and taken from The Yoga Kitchen Plan by Kimberly Parsons.

Elevating toast to a nourishing light meal, this easy-to-prepare flavour hit is rich in protein and bursting with goodness. The vegan pesto is magic!

IMG_1861 (2)
Serves : 2

Ingredients:
1 large courgette, thinly sliced into ribbons
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 slices sourdough bread, toasted
Sea salt flakes, to serve
2 lime wedges, to serve

For the Vegan Pesto:-
1 large bunch basil leaves, plus extra to serve
1 small bunch coriander
30g pine nuts or kernels, toasted
35g raw pistachio nuts
120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Step One : To make the vegan pesto, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Set aside.

Step Two : Place the courgette ribbons and beans in a large bowl, add a quarter of the pesto and toss to coat.

Step Three : Spread the remaining pesto onto the slices of toast and top with the courgette ribbons and beans.

Step Four : Drizzle with olive oil, scatter over some extra basil leaves and sea salt flakes and serve with lime wedges.

Self-love Stew

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (April 2019) and taken from Cooking on a Bootstrap by Jack Monroe.

Spoon it into a bowl. Sit in your favourite spot. Hug that bowl. Enjoy every mouthful. You made this for yourself out of love. You are nourishing yourself. You are smart. You are kind to yourself. You can wash up tomorrow.

Serves : 1

Ingredients:
Oil, for frying
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
A few handfuls of finely chopped or grated root veg (such as carrot, parsnip, spud or sweet potato – any root will do)
1 tsp paprika
150g tofu or 2 white fish fillets
1 x 400g tin of beans (baked, kidney, butter, cannellini, chickpeas – any beans) drained
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
A fistful of kale or spinach
Squeeze of lemon juice
A pinch of salt and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper

Step One : Warm a little oil in a pan over low heat and cook the garlic and onion, to soften. Stir, stir; slow and cathartic.

Step Two : Add the finely chopped or grated root veg and stir some more, then add the paprika and mix in. Stirring is key; it is soothing.

Step Three : Chuck in the chunks of tofu if you’re veggie or vegan, or white fish if you aren’t. Tip in the beans; whatever beans – add them for goodness. For laziness. For filling comfort. For making the dish stretch into an extra meal that you won’t have to cook. Pour over the tomatoes. The cheaper ones are sloppy and excellent for soups and stews.

Step Four : Shred some kale with your hands. Rip it the heck up with all the stress-busting physicality you can muster. Go on! Tear it to shreds. Drop it in. Stir it through, breathe and stir, and breathe.

Step Five : Bring to the boil – like your fury, heat it up and watch it roar … then, reduce to a simmer. Douse in lemon juice to brighten, and add some salt and pepper to amplify the flavours. Serve that stew, just for you.

Other great cookbooks that help you keep an eye on the pennies:-

Mixed Bean Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Woman’s Own from many years ago!

Serves : 4

Prep time : 10 minutes; Cook time : 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tblsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 celery sticks, washed and sliced
2oz (50g) plain flour
1 tblsp tomato puree
½ pint (300ml) vegetable stock
500g carton sieved tomatoes
1 green chilli pepper, sliced
1 tsp chilli powder
400g can mixed beans in salted water, drained
420g can red kidney beans in salted water, drained
420g can butter beans in salted water, drained
400g can chopped tomatoes
Salt and ground black pepper

Step One : Preheat the oven to Gas 4/350oF/180oC. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish and add the onion, garlic and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until softened.

Step Two : Stir in the flour and tomato puree and cook for a further 1 minute.

Step Three : Add vegetable stock, sieved tomatoes, sliced chilli pepper, chilli powder, beans and the chopped canned tomatoes.

Step Four : Season well with salt and ground black pepper, then cover and cook in the oven for 40 mins. Serve.

Some other bean recipes can be found here …