I’m feeling the need of something comforting yet healthy this week as work has been all out. So I thought this weekend I would dedicate to making something I haven’t made for a couple of years but I used to LOVE – My Bean Goo – or bean chili to the uninitiated!! It’s a pretty foolproof recipe and freezes amazingly!! Whats more it works well with rice, tortilla or even crusty bread so is a nice versatile treat.

If its so foolproof why haven’t I made it for 2 years I hear you cry? The answer is simple – I don’t know. Its one of those recipes that I made for years but then just forgot to make for a couple of months and then it dropped off my radar – but I have a veggie friend who asked for the recipe so I thought id reinvent it!!

Ingredients…

• A Squirt of Garlic
• Glug of Olive Oil
• 1 large Red Onion
• 3 sticks Celery
• 1 medium Carrot
• 2 tins chopped tomato and 1 Jar pasatta
• handful of Mushrooms and 1 Courgette
• 3 tins of mixed beans ( I used Butter, Kidney & Borlotti)
• Handful of green lentils
• tsp each of Chili flakes and Smoked Paprika
• Thyme, Cumin and other herbs of choice

Method…

• Finely chop the Onion, Celery and Carrot
• Gently heat the garlic in the oil and then sweat off the veggies till soft.
• Add in the chili smoked paprika and herbs then stir
• Add in the tomatoes, pasatta and handful of green lentils and combine
• after 10 mins throw in the chopped mushrooms and Courgette
• Drain the beans and then add these into the mix
• Cover and simmer for up to an hour (longer doesn’t matter)
• Season and serve with rice etc.

I usually add a blob of creme fraiche or some grated cheese to this and it is divine!!  I make up this huge batch and then freeze in individual portions in bags. I then defrost what I need when I need it. It microwaves really well and makes a fab packed lunch too

Flabulous!!