Re:Cheap & tasty bean/ pulse based dishes (badladmark)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:44:44 GMT

They are indeed and they count as part of your five a day... with other vegetables in the recipes, you can easily get two or three of your five portions in one go.

Re:Cheap & tasty bean/ pulse based dishes (RedHotF)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:03:50 GMT

Nice recipes. Beans are often overlooked but they are so nutritious!....and cheap!

Re:Cheap & tasty bean/ pulse based dishes (theiopener)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:29:26 GMT

Baked Falafel
Mixed bean chilli
Spicy bean Burgers

Re:Cheap & tasty bean/ pulse based dishes (jango)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:19:07 GMT

I love this kind of food. It's especially good at this time of year.

Cheap & tasty bean/ pulse based dishes (badladmark)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:42:52 GMT

Tuscan Beans
2 or 3 cans of beans, drained and rinsed. Use different kinds- kidney beans, butter beans, borlotti beans etc. (if you're going the budget route- soak 250g dried mixed beans overnight and cook in plenty of water for 45 minutes, drain and rinse before using)
1 onion chopped
1-2 cloves garlic chopped (depending on your tastes)
1 red pepper, chopped
100g quartered closed cup mushrooms or whole button mushrooms
100g frozen peas
1tsp dried oregano
1 carton passata
Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and the pepper and cook for about five minutes. Add the beans, peas and passata and the oregano. Cook on a gentle heat for about ten minutes. Serve with some nice crusty bread.

Bean and Pasta Stew
Adapt the above recipe, adding in a load of cooked pasta. About half a packet of pasta cooked, perhaps, and then water it down a little bit with some vegetable stock so that its all coated in the sauce. Add some fresh choped basil or some dried basil just before serving. Nice with some parmesan grated over the top when served. I usually have it with some nice crusty bread too to mop up all the sauce.

Spicy Tomato and Lentil Soup
120g lentils
1 tin chopped tomatoes
I chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
500ml vegetable stock
1/2 tsp chili powder (more if you like)
1 desertspoonful white wine vinegar (optional)
2 bay leaves (optional)
cook all the above together in a covered pan for about 25 minutes, adding more stock if needed.

Dhal
1 chopped onion
250g lentils
1tsp curry powder (or curry paste)
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2tsp turmeric
A bit of grated fresh ginger (if you've got it)
1 sachet creamed coconut (they come in packets of three. This is entirely optional, but I think it really improves the flavour)
500ml vegetable stock
Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil for a few minutes, then add the spices, stir and then stir in the lentils so they are coated. Add the stock and creamed coconut, and let it cook for about 25 mins, adding more water as needed. Serve with rice. Rice and lentils combined together create a complete protein and the bioavailability of the protein increases when combined.