veg-packed chilli con carne

Simply add the pot of beans with benefits to your usual chilli recipe to enhance the depth of flavour and supercharge the veg content. Otherwise follow my recipe below for a delicious chilli containing beans with benefits.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 1 hr

Ingredients

1 pot of beans with benefits

1 tblsp oil

1 onion, chopped

½ yellow pepper, chopped

½ green pepper, chopped

500g minced beef

½ tsp ground cumin

1 level tsp smoked paprika

1 level tsp chilli powder

400g tin chopped tomatoes

Splash of red wine

Shake of Worcestershire sauce

1 beef stock cube

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion, peppers and beef. Cook together for 5 mins, breaking up and browning the meat.
2. Add the cumin, paprika and chilli powder. Cook for a further 1-2 mins.
3. Add the pot of bace, tomatoes, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and the stock cube. Bring to a simmer then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 1 hour (longer if you have the time).
4. Serve with rice and a salad.

chicken & carlin pea curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pot of carlin peas with perks

1 tblsp oil

4 chicken breasts or boneless thighs, cubed

2 heaped dessertspoons curry paste

400g tin chopped tomatoes

80g baby spinach

Optional toppings – sliced red onion, coriander leaves, finely sliced red chilli

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cubed chicken and brown on all sides.
2. Add the curry paste and stir to coat the chicken. Cook for 1-2 mins.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, a pot of peas with perks and 50ml water.
4. Simmer for 15 mins until the chicken is cooked.
5. Stir in the baby spinach to wilt.
6. Serve with rice, naan or chapatis. Garnish with red onion, coriander, finely sliced chilli and yoghurt.

 

Mexican beans on toast

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pot of beans with benefits

2 large slices sourdough, toasted

Grated cheese, handful

Chilli sauce (a chipotle one is especially good)

For the salsa:

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

½ lime, squeezed

½ red onion, finely chopped

Cucumber (75g / 5cm width), finely chopped

4 radishes, chopped

Coriander, handful, chopped

1 avocado, peeled, stoned removed and roughly chopped

Extra virgin olive oil, drizzle

2 lime wedges

Method

1. Begin by heating the beans as per the cooking instructions on pot.
2. Next make the salsa. Chop all the ingredients, put in a bowl and add the lime, extra virgin olive oil and a shake of chilli sauce.
3. Toast the sourdough and cut in half. Place 2 halves on each plate and top with the warm beans, some grated cheese and a shake of chilli sauce.
4. Serve with the salsa on the side and a slice of lime for squeezing.

pea & blue cheese topper

VEGETARIAN

“This is a really simple lunch or snack for 2/3 people. Heat the popping peas with perks following the instructions on the pot. Toast some good quality bread such as sourdough, rub with a cut clove of garlic, top with the warm peas and some crumbled blue cheese. You can use the same topping for a baked potato or sweet potato.”

warm pea topper

This is a really simple lunch or snack for 2/3 people. Heat the peas following the instructions on the pot.  Serve on top of some good quality toasted bread, drizzle with your favourite oil and sprinkle with parmesan.

easy peasy risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pot of green peas with perks

1 knob butter and a little oil

270g risotto rice (or 135g risotto rice, 135g pearled spelt for a delicious nutty taste and added fibre)

175ml white wine

650ml low salt veg stock

2 heaped teaspoons crème fraiche

Grated parmesan (optional)

Method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a pan. Add rice and stir to coat.
2. Pour in the wine and let it reduce.
3. Gradually add the stock, one ladle at a time. Cook for 20 mins, stirring and adding stock when needed.
4. Add peas with perks, stir and heat through for 5 mins.
5. Finally add crème fraiche and grated parmesan if desired.

pealicious baked mushrooms

VEGETARIAN

“A sublime combination of sweet peas, salty cheese and densely satisfying flat mushrooms. They’re a meal in themselves.”

SERVES: 2 for dinner/4 for starter   PREP TIME: 5 MINS   COOKING TIME: 20 MINS

Ingredients

1 pot of popping peas with perks

4 large flat mushrooms

Oil

80g blue cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stalk (save for a pasta sauce). Place the mushrooms in an oven-proof dish and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 mins.
3. In the meantime heat the peas following the cooking instructions on pot.
4. When the mushrooms are cooked remove from the oven and top with the peas.
5. Crumble the cheese on top and return to the oven for 5 mins.

baked mushroom topped with peas

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pot of green peas with perks

4 large flat mushrooms

Oil

80g Blacksticks® blue cheese

Pea shoots, handful

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stalk (save for a pasta sauce). Place the mushrooms on a non-stick tray and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 mins.
3. In the meantime heat the peas following the cooking instructions on pot.
4. When the mushrooms are cooked remove from the oven and top with the peas.
5. Crumble the cheese and top and return to the oven for 5 mins to melt the cheese.
6. Garnish with the pea shoots and serve with sweet chilli sauce if desired.

speedy pea, fava bean & spinach pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pot of green peas with perks

200g wholewheat pasta shapes

100g strong cheddar

Method

1. Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions.
2. While the pasta is cooking heat the peas as per the cooking instructions on pot.
3. Drain the pasta and add the warmed peas.
4. Stir in the cheese and serve.

Italian tomato & bean soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pot of beans with benefits

For the rosemary oil:

1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped

Good quality oil such as British rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan, freshly grated

Method

1. Begin by putting the beans in a pan with 125ml water. Heat gently for about 5 mins.
2. While they’re heating prepare the rosemary oil.
3. Put a glug of oil in a small dish then add the chopped rosemary.
4. Pour the soup into 2 bowls and drizzle with the rosemary oil.
5. Sprinkle with a generous helping of freshly grated parmesan.