It doesn’t matter if you’re a vegetarian or not, beans add a great addition to any recipe. Salads, soups, casseroles, wraps and many more dishes benefit from the addition of beans and one of the healthiest ingredients as well.
I had so many recipes to choose from, but I have tried to use a few unusual ones. I always make the Burritos for my veggie friends, but it’s easy to add some chicken if you prefer meat? As usual the recipes are all quick and easy to make especially the Sausage Hotpot which features baked beans and very popular with children. The homemade Veggie Burgers only take minutes to make and you can vary the taste and flavour according to how hot you like it? They are great cooked on a BBQ as well so something for later in the year.
Buen Apetito
Burritos with Corn and Beans
230g red kidney beans
340g sweetcorn
1 red and 1 green pepper
1 red chilli
2 cloves of garlic
3tbsp sunflower oil
1tbsp oregano
2tsp cumin
150ml vegetable stock
8 wheat tortillas
Salt and pepper
Rinse and drain kidney beans and sweetcorn. Finely cut the peppers and chillies and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the peppers, garlic and chillies for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the beans and sweetcorn, oregano and cumin. Season and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Heat the tortillas in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds each side and serve with the mixture rolled inside.
Tuna and Butter Bean Bake
½ bunch fresh parsley
50g butter
50g plain flour
450 ml milk
2 tsp lemon juice
410g can butter beans
185g tuna in sunflower oil
25g parmesan cheese
2 tbsp white breadcrumbs
Melt the butter in a pan, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually add milk. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in lemon and parsley. Drain beans and put in the bottom of an oven proof dish. Drain the tuna and flake over the beans then pour the sauce over them both. Grate the cheese and mix with breadcrumbs before sprinkling over the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Caribbean Rice and Beans
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp all spices
225g long grain rice
8 spring onions
225g can chopped tomatoes
375ml vegetable stock
400g canned red kidney beans
Tabasco sauce to taste
Heat the oil and add the chopped onions and garlic until softened. De-seed yellow pepper and chop then stir into the pan with oregano, thyme and all spice. Add the rice and stir well before cooking for 3 minutes. Add peel and chopped spring onions and tomatoes and their juice and stir. Add the stock and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the kidney beans then stir into the pan and simmer for a further 6-10 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed. As an optional extra add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce to suit your taste. Serve.
Sausage Hotpot
1 onion
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tin baked beans
1 tin chopped tomatoes
3 tsp mixed herbs
1 pkt sausage (vegetarian or meat)
Fry the sausage until brown. Remove from heat and chop into small chunks. Fry the chopped onions in oil until brown. Add the beans, tomatoes and herbs and bring to the boil. Add the sausage chunks to the bean mixture and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burger
1 can black beans
½ green bell pepper
½ onion
3 cloves garlic
1 egg
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli sauce or hot sauce (optional)
½ cup of breadcrumbs
In a medium bowl mash the drained black beans with a fork. Finely chop pepper, onion and garlic and stir into mashed black beans. In a separate bowl beat egg and add chilli powder, cumin and sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the bean mixture and stir well. Add the bread crumbs until mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into four lumps and pat into burger shapes. Grill or BBQ for 8 minutes each side on low heat so they cook through. Serve with salad or in a bun.