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A bean, a bean
A half a bean
A half a bean
A bean, a bean.
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Blimey! All that overspending on Christmassey cheese has got my bank balance feeling a little wincey, how about you?!
Do you go equally as mad over the festive period, consuming enough wine to satiate Bacchus and buying enough meat, cheese, and crackers to stock a deli?
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Then comes the drawn-out month of January- all eight weeks and two children's birthdays of it - and the bank balance is looking deflated, the belly rotund. No wonder Blue Monday falls in Jan. But darlings, we can turn this around; there's a way to negate both of these New Year nuisances!
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Haricot/ white/ navy
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Yep. Both white and Navy at the same time!
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Small, white, and versatile, haricot beans are one of the most commonly eaten beans here in the UK, as they are the star of our store cupboard favourite- baked beans. We Brits love our baked beans, consuming over 540 million tins every year!
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High in fibre, rich in protein and easy to cook, haricot beans were a staple of a sailor's diet at sea, earning themselves the moniker of Navy Bean
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Try them in:
*Warm white bean salad with bacon, herbs and croutons *White bean Provencal *White bean and ham soup *Cuban white bean and ham soup *Cowboy Pie *Homemade baked beans
Save some pennies and lose some pounds at the same time with super-sexy savvy eating. Well, ok, maybe it's not sexy, but it's definitely savvy, and having the smarts is sexy, right?!
And what is savvy eating? It's eating cheap, hitting your nutritional needs, but without sacrificing flavour and most importantly, enjoyment. Healthy, delicious, budget belly-fillers. Plant-based proteins and whole foods are satisfying, and when combined with herbs, spices and alliums, they are magnificently moreish!
Hummus, anyone?
A bean, a bean.....
There are over 400 types of beans in the world, although here in the UK we only eat a small number of those. Beans are nutrition powerhouses; high in fibre and protein, they also provide substantial amounts of macro and trace minerals our bodies and minds need to maintain peak performance.
Ready-to-eat canned beans (not just the baked variety) are available in all supermarkets and whole food stores, but if you have the time and/ or inclination to buy beans dried and soak them overnight, you'll get beans that are smoother and creamier in texture, as well as being much cheaper gram for gram.
Cannellini/ white kidney bean
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Originally cultivated as a crop in Argentina, these slightly larger white beans made their way to Italy via returning migrants.
Nutty cannellini beans are grown prolifically in central and southern Italy and have become a staple of traditional Italian cuisine.
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Try them in:
*Tuscan Minestrone *Italian sausage and white bean soup *Cannellini polpettine (bean meatballs) *Caramelised onion and white bean dip *White bean mash
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Butter/ lima bean
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While both lima and butter beans come from the lima bean plant, the term lima refers to the young, green, tender beans, while butter beans are picked further into the plants' maturity.
When butter beans are cooked they are creamy, velvety and have a buttery flavour.
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Try them in:
*Deliciously Ella's pesto butter beans *Lemon, garlic and butterbean salad *Butter bean burgers *Butter bean and sweet potato crumble *Butterbean hummus with red pepper and walnut
Red/ common kidney bean
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Similar in shape and colour to the human kidney, tins of deep red kidney beans are a familiar sight in British kitchens as an addition to the crowd pleasing Chile con Carne.
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They're firmer than their paler cousins and require more cooking, but the result is a meatier bean with a distinct nuttiness. \
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Try them in:
*Chili con carne *Lubya (Afghan kidney bean curry)
*Lobio (Georgian bean and walnut stew) *Sopa de Pedra (Portugese Stone Soup) *Kidney bean salad
Borlotti/ cranberry beans
Borlotti beans have a distinct red and white speckled appearance that makes them visually appealing, but they're also prized for their smooth, creamy texture and slightly nutty flavour.
Common in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, they pair well with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Try them in:
*posh baked beans *borlotti, date and apple salad *borlotti e fagioli (Italian pasta and bean soup) *grains, greens and beans with pesto dressing *Italian sausage stew
Blackeyed beans/ peas
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Small, oval-shaped, and pale beige with a distinctive black spot, which gives them their name.
They're known for their earthy flavour and soft, creamy texture, and have become a staple of Southern cuisine
Try them in:
*Hoppin John (Southern NYD dish) *black-eyed peas with smoky collards and cheesy grits *black-eyed beans with chard and lemon *black-eyed bean and mango salad *smokey black-eyed bean cakes
Lupin beans
Often used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, lupins have a distinct nutty flavour and firm texture, making them a great substitute for meat in plant-based recipes.
Lupin beans are commonly found in salads, dips, and stews. They are also used in flour form to make lupin bread and pasta.
Try them in:
*lupin hummus *lupin salad with tomatoes, olives, feta and lemon * lupin patties *lupin bean and spinach soup
Pinto beans
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A staple in Mexican and Southwestern cuisines. Their creamy texture and earthy, mild flavour make them ideal for dishes like refried beans, chili, and burritos.
When cooked, they soften and take on the flavours of the spices and seasonings they're paired with.
Try them in:
*refried pinto beans *sopa tarasca (Mexican bean soup) with jalapeno corn fritters *Brazilian pinto beans *pinto beans with ham and homemade. cornbread
Azuki
Azuki beans are small, reddish-brown legumes native to East Asia. They have a sweet butty flavour and are often made into anko- the sweet red bean paste used in many Asian desserts, like mochi, dorayaki, and taiyaki.
Azuki beans are also used in savoury dishes, such as soups and stews and salads.
Try them in:
*savoury azuki soup * azuki bean rice *azuki bean hummus * meatless azuki bean meatloaf *azuki bean sundal