Eat your beans!!!!

I wasn't planning on posting today...but it's 'National Eat Beans Day'!!

So, seriously how could I not resist!!

I don't have a new recipe lined up but I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for a round up as I haven't done one of those in a while.

So here we are (a small selection) in all their beanie glory. I always have numerous beans hand as I am a huge believer in soaking and cooking large batches of dried beans (so cost effective too) and then freezing them in portion sizes ready for a quick dessert, stew or salad!

So go cook up a big batch and let me know your favourite beanie recipes :-)

Some savouries....

Homemade smoky baked beans

Black bean beet burger

Bean and pea dip (or sandwich filler)

Roasted chickpeas...they count as beans!!

Some sweets....

My absolute favourite healthy truffles in the whole wide world!

Single banana blondie muffin top...yum!

Creamy dark chocolate pudding or shake...two ways!

Cookie pie toped with dark chocolate ice-cream (double bean action!)

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Mushrooms, jacket potatoes, beans...with a twist!

So, for those of your who read right down to the last paragraph of this post on Saturday you'll have seen that my dad's '3 favourite foods were':

"Mushrooms

Jacket Potatoes 

Baked beans"

Pretty classic stuff... so how was I to turn these into some kind of special Father's Day meal....hmmm?

In the end it all came together with a twist to the tale... Jacket potato skins and juicy grilled mushrooms for stuffing with smoky baked beans on the side, complete with spicy 'cheesy' whipped mash and a big salad. The baked beans dish was inspired by this recipe from Susan at the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, and the 'cheesy' mash inspired by Kathy's stuffed skins here at Healthy Happy Life.

Plus then there was a baked fruit custard dessert....cos I happen to know he loves custard too. I need to take some more photos of that as the light was fading! Recipe with you shortly ;-)

It was a great success! To top it all off I gave my dad a little package of dark chocolate (as he's also a dark chocolate lover) courtesy of the Real Food Source...yum!

Smoky apple baked beans

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

2 onions- finely chopped
1 large red pepper-finely chopped
4 garlic cloves- crushed (I reduced the amount called for in original recipe as my dad is not a huge fan)
1 apple- finely chopped
1 ½ large cans canellini beans (or mixed beans)

sauce:
1 large tin tomatoes
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs molasses
A few drops of chipotle sauce to taste

Method:

Sliced or process the onion, peper, garlic and apple into small pieces. Saute the mixture for 5 mins until softening. Blend the sauce ingredients together in a seperate pan/blender and then add the the onion mix. Add the beans and stir through before cooking the mix for another 5 minutes.

In theory you could serve this mix as it is, but true to baked bean style I poured the mix into a pan and baked for approx 20 mins whilst preparing the remainder of the meal, I served it whilst the top was bubbling and beginning to form a golden skin at the edges.

Spicy cheesy whipped mash

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

Approx 1 heaped cup cooked potato (middles of 4 potatoes)
2tbs hummus
2tbs nutritional yeast
2tbs salsa sauce
chipotle sauce to taste
¼ - ½ cup heated non-dairy milk to achieve desired consistency

For skins:
4 jacket potatoes- baked as usual
coconut oil
sea salt

Method:

Prepare the jacket poatoes in the oevn s usual. Alow to cool slightly before halving and scopping out the entres. Set centre aside. Generously cost the skins with coconut oil (or other oil) for a crispy skin and spinkle with salt. Place back in the oven for approx 20 minutes at 200C scooped side up, until golden. 

Meanwhile add the potato and remaining ingredients to a bowl and using a hand blender (I used my Thermomix throughout) blend until whippy and creamy, adding  little extra liquid as needed. If you use the potato whilst hot and add hot liquid the spicy mash should still be warm to serve.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Black bean burgers and fruity cucumber salsa

Double whammy recipe post for you today! That doesn’t often happen.

I had originally thought to post as two separate recipes but then decided they’d work best together. So here you go.

The burger recipe is very similar to other bean burger recipes I’ve posted. Such as these Mexican burgers and these black bean burgers, whereas the salsa is a totally new concoction.

The inspiration for the salsa came from this post by Kathy at Healthy Happy life. It looked so simply and perfect for the BBQ I was going to at my friends a couple of weekends ago (when the weather was actually nice!) She also got me into the bean burger mindset too so then I scouted around for a new spin on the idea for those and loved this simple concept by No Meat Athlete.

This salsa is a lovely light BBQ side and my non-vegan friends were all seen adding a dollop to their plate! It’s sweet and refreshing in equal measures and it got me into a cucumber frame of mind- I have some more cucumber ideas up my sleeve for next week too!

P.S Barbequed plantains...amazing! Try them if you haven't already!

Recipe: cucumber pineapple salsa
Inspired by Healthy Happy Life

Makes approx 2 ½ cups worth

Ingredients:

1 tbs tahini (or use cashew butter)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup fresh diced pineapple (drain a little of the liquid if very wet)

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbs chopped fresh mint

Method:

Mix the lemon juice with the tahini and then mix through the cucumber and pineapple chunks, adding the sesame seeds and chopped mint last.

Serve chilled and eat within one day.

Recipe: Black bean beet burgers- mk 2

Inspired by No Meat Athlete

Makes approx 8 burgers

Ingredients:

1 onion- finely chopped

1-2 cloves garlic- crushed

1 cup sweet potato- grated

1/3 cup beetroot- grated

1 tsp oil (I used melted coconut)

1 ½ cup cooked black beans

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbs tomato puree

1 tbs fresh herbs (I used rosemary)

1 tbs ground flax or chia

1 cup cooked quinoa (or brown rice)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Prepare the black beans and quinoa as necessary and set aside (mine were already cooked and frozen so I just defrosted them).

Stir fry the onion, garlic, sweet potato and beetroot in the oil for 5 minutes until softening.

Add the remaining ingreodmets and poulse through lightly to kix but keep some chunky bits, the mixture should be sticky but hold together well.

Form into flattened patties and place on a lined baking sheet. Brush a little extra oil on each side.  Bake at 200C for approx 30 minutes until golden. Note: I baked mine for approx 20 mins and finished them off on the BBQ

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Mexican bean burgers

As you read this post I will be battling my way across the Derbyshire countryside on a camping/hiking trip with friends this bank holiday weekend.

I’ve just bought myself my very first tent (having shared other peoples for many years) and it was of the pop up variety…. notorious for being difficult to pack down again once they’ve ‘sprung’ into shape. I popped it up on the garden lawn to give it a test run and thankfully it wasn’t too difficult…fingers crossed I manage to do it again at the end of the camping trip itself as a field full of bemused onlookers is not what I have in mind!

Back to food!

A BBQ was on my mind again as we’ll be hoping to have one or two during our trip (please don’t rain!) and so these burgers, that were the accompaniment to the BBQ sauce from earlier this week, came to mind. I may well whip up another batch to take with me.

The burgers with BBQ sauce were a match made in heaven! I do love a good veggie burger as they are always so versatile…served in buns, on salads, with cous-cous or quinoa, or even just served cold as finger food on their own. You can use any seasonings you wish, I simply went for a Mexican kick as the mood took me. The potato also holds them together nicely; see my notes below for choice of potato.

You can find more ideas for snacks and bbq sides here.

Recipe: Mexican bean burgers

Makes approx. 6 burgers

Ingredients

1 tin black beans (400g)

1 medium carrot- grated

1 small red onion- diced

2 cooked medium to large (fist sized) white or sweet potato (see note)

1 cup sweetcorn (I used frozen)

Seasonings to taste. I used 2tsp mix of cumin coriander and chilli. You could use fresh coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup chia seeds

¼- 1/3 cup gram flour or oats* (as needed to achieve burger patty consistency)

Method

Chop the potatoes into small cubes and cook for approx. 10 minutes until just tender.

Meanwhile prepare remaining wet ingredients and roughly mash together in a large bowl. Add seasonings and chia seeds and mix through.

Add the cooked potato to the bowl and mash into the mixture until you have a lumpy mixture. Depending upon the potatoes used (see note) the mixture may still be too wet to form into into firm patties. If so, mix gram flour or oats/oatmeal through until a firmer mixture is formed.

Using your hands form fist sized patties and place on a line baking sheet. Bake for approx. 20 minutes until golden turning once after 15 minutes (or bake for 5 mins to increase firmness and then finish of on BBQ like I did!)  Alternatively these could be pan fried- note I have not tried this method.

Potato note:  I used sweet potatoes which are softer and retain more moisture than regular potatoes. Make sure you allow all water to drain once cooked and using kitchen towel lightly ‘dry’ the potatoes to further reduce excess water. White potatoes are firmer and regular draining should be sufficient.

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Raspberry ripple chocolate torte slices (fat free)

These chocolate torte slices are the perfect summery twist on my tried and tested chocolate brownie torte recipe. Super healthy and indulgent…yet light and fruity!

The perfect summer snack to put a smug smile on your face, knowing that you can indulge guilt-free without worrying about undoing all your hard ‘beach-body’ work.

These are also the perfect pick me up….or in this case the ideal ‘get well soon’ gift. The recipe below makes a small batch of 4 slices (you could easily double the recipe) as I created this recipe for a friend who was laid up and recuperating after an accident. The criteria was simple….low fat but not low taste!

I often use coconut oil or coconut butter in my recipes, as a healthy good fat which I rarely skimp on, but in this instance I wanted to lower the fat as much as possible or even eliminate it. The obvious choice was the brownie recipe, and so to change things up a bit and create a unique dessert, here you have the raspberry almond version. 

I used crushed frozen raspberries to mix through the batter as they hold up better when they are mixed through (although you can barely see the pieces in the photos). I also sprinkled a few extra pieces on the top and then once out of the oven I glazed them with a layer of sugar free raspberry jam.  I made sure these brownies were not too overly sweet as I love the richness of the dark chocolate and tartness of the raspberries contrasting with the sweet topping, but you can increase the agave/stevia slightly to taste. If you add more agave (up to 1/3 cup it might be advisable to increase the flour by a couple of tablespoons also).

These chocolate slices  are by nature more dense and gooey than cakey when bitten into, although they do have a lovely firm texture. I think they are best served warm as a dessert, maybe with a little vegan icecream or cashew cream with some extra berries on the side.

Recipe: Raspberry ripple chocolate torte

4 slices (approx. 3x9” pan)

Ingredients

½ cup silken tofu

¼ cup agave and a pinch of stevia

1 tsp almond extract

1/3 cup black beans

1tbs ground chia plus 2tbs hot water

½ cup wholemeal spelt (or GF mix)

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

¼ cup frozen raspberries- crushed

Handful cacoa nibs or dark chocolate chunks- optional

Handful flaked almonds

Handful frozen raspberries- crushed

Method

Blend all wet ingredients together in food processor until well mixed and smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add the wet ingredients, mixing lightly until well mixed, add the cacao nibs (if using) and the ¼ cup crushed frozen raspberries last and fold through the mixture.

Spoon the batter into a smallish tin or mini muffin pans, scattering the remaining frozen raspberry pieces and flaked almonds across the top

Bake in a preheated oven for approx. 25 mins (less time for mini muffins). Test with a toothpick in the centre to check when done.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Mexican tortilla stack

I love a good old veggie chilli!  Even before I began eating a vegan diet I often preferred to cook up a veggie chilli over a beef one. I think it’s more the textures and flavours of the dish than the actual meat itself that I fell in love with. The spices and the kidney beans are really what make a chilli.

Actually come to think of it, I usually find it’s the textures of a dish and the context of the food that I find draws me in…. for example I always loved my mum’s homemade chicken pie with veg and gravy, but I think I actually just have a thing for gravy smoothed over pastry and veg, I don’t think it really matters so much what the pie contains! Similarly tofu scramble on toast satisfies me just as much as traditional scrambled egg would have done.

(I now can’t get a vision of pie and gravy out of my mind!)

So, whilst a chilli is good… I wanted to change things up a little bit and up the protein count In the process. Beans! Beans! Beans! I also wanted to get a little saucy with a flavoursome cheese-style sauce drizzled over the top. I think the sauce makes a lovely rich complement to the dish but you could always have it without. This dish also reminds me a little of a classic lasagne, with it’s lovely layering!

This is a super simple meal that looks great in the centre of the table, well that is until you cut into it, then it gets a bit messy! This serves 4 but you could easily use large tortillas to serve more, or make your own. I have used regular tortillas here, as I am not gluten free (although I often opt for recipes that are), but you could easily sub these for GF wraps available in many supermarkets.

Recipe: Mexican tortilla stack

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion-finely chopped

1 red chilli- finely chopped (or up to ½ tsp dried chilli flakes)

2 cloves garlic- finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbs ground coriander

400g can black beans

400g can red kidney beans

400g can chopped tomatoes

100ml vegetable stock

A bunch of spring onions- sliced

350g sweetcorn (canned or frozen)

4 wholemeal tortilla wraps (regular or gluten free)

Vegan cheese sauce- see note below

Method

Heat oil in a large pan and gently fry the onions for around 5 minutes until soft. Stir through the chilli, garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for a further minute.

Pour in the beans, tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Whilst this is simmering make up the cheese sauce- see below. Stir through the spring onions and the sweetcorn.

Place a tortilla wrap in the base of a spring form cake tin- approx. 20cm diameter. Spoon over ¼ of the mixture and spread evenly. Drizzle a little cheese sauce over the mixture. Top with another tortilla and repeat the process with 4 wraps in total finishing with a layer of bean mix and cheese sauce.

Bake the stack for 25 minutes at 200C. Slice into wedges to serve.

Note: You can use your own favourite strong cheese sauce recipe. My current favourite is taken from Oh She Glows and has a strong ’cheesy’ mustardy flavour giving a nice flavoursome kick to the tortilla stack.

The original recipe can be found here but is also provided my ever so slightly tweaked version below for reference. I increased the flour (I used cornflour) to 1.5 tbs to ensure a nice thick sauce.

Recipe: Cheese Sauce

 

Ingredients

¾ cup almond milk

6tbs nutritional yeast

1 tbs coconut oil

1 ½ tbs cornflour

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp garlic powder

½  tsp salt and pepper

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a small pan over the hob. Whisk the flour and milk together in a separate bowl ensuring there are no lumps. Add the milk mixture plus all remaining ingredients to the pan and whisk well. Simmer and whisk for approx. 5 mins until thick.

Note: this sauce also freezes well so can be made in a batch.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.