Smokey Breakfast Beans

This smokey breakfast beans recipe is a much better alternative to something like Heinz Baked Beans for breakfast. Not only does it contain no sugar, but is also combines 5 additional vegetables into the mix to ensure you have already met your minimum vegetable quota for the day on one breakfast plate. As a result, it’s also lovely and filling. The vegetables I’ve used can be taken as a guide, but you can use any you have in the fridge for this recipe. Adapt it as you see fit. Creamy butter beans work really well in this recipe, but it would also work well with another type of bean such as cannellini beans, black beans, and even chickpeas.

Many of my clients opt for a protein-based savoury breakfast due to the benefits it has on their blood-sugar regulation, and because it’s a delicious way to start the day. This beans recipe could be had instead of eggs if you are plant-based, or if you want to mix things up a bit. It would also make a great component on a lunch or dinner. It’s a particularly good recipe to make in a larger batch and to take into the office to reheat and have with some toast / avocado / hard boiled eggs to ensure you still get an epic breakfast in when you’re not at home.

TOTAL TIME: 10-15 minutes

SERVES: 2 large portions

SEASON: All year round (but the ingredients will be locally grown in the UK during summer)

INGREDIENTS:

1 can butter beans

1/2 red onion

1-2 cloves garlic

1/2 fresh chilli

2 handfuls fresh tomatoes

1 small courgette

1 handful mushrooms

6 handfuls spinach

1 tbsp smoked paprika

4 tbsp tomato paste

1-2 cups water

Butter or olive oil for cooking

METHOD:

1. Chop the onions, courgette, mushrooms, tomatoes and finely chop the garlic and chilli.

2. Heat a knob of butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook for a minute or so until it begins to soften.

3. Add the rest of the chopped vegetables, along with the garlic and chilli, to the pan and mix together. Stir regularly for a couple of minutes until everything begins to cook through, then add 1/2 cup of water and cook until it has mostly evaporated.

4. Rinse and drain the butter beans then add them to the pan of vegetables along with the tomato paste, smoked paprika and another cup of water.

5. Stir regularly while cooking the mixture for another minute or so until you’re happy with the consistency of the sauce (add a splash more water if necessarily).

6. Finally, wash the spinach and add to the pan. Take it off the heat and stir in the spinach so that it gently wilts into the mixture,

7. Serve as you wish. I can recommend this with eggs, or sweet potato, or greek yoghurt/crème fraîche and sourdough, or avocado and sourdough, or a big mixture of things like I’ve got here.