Beans are such a gift to anyone looking to eat healthily but save cash. Whether you buy them ready-cooked in a tin or dried and boiled (which I do in bulk and freeze in portions) they are ones of the cheapest ways of getting protein in your diet. They also don’t have to be boring! These Mexican Beans are so tasty thanks to the smokiness of the smoked chilli and the cayenne pepper tang. Best of all they are easy to make, gluten-free, vegan and freeze brilliantly. Which makes them fabulous as a quick meal on toast, in a baked potato, with rice, in a burrito or with a side of quinoa and salad.
As well as containing a vegan source of protein, beans are also packed with fibre, good carbs, antioxidants to fight everything from aging to cancer and are wonderful for gut health – which impacts on the whole body. The cooked tomato and peppers are also bursting with goodness so you will feel nourished and fuller for longer if you make this dish the centre of your meal.
And while it looks and smells like it’s been stewed for ages on a campfire, these Mexican Beans will only take about 20mins from start to finish to make! If you want some extra spice then you can add a little tabasco or more cayenne. I buy my smoked chilli’s from the supermarket, not as amazing as those I brought back from Mexico but they taste great.
Mexican Beans
Ingredients
- Splash of sunflower or coconut oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ yellow pepper, finely diced
- ½ green pepper, finely diced
- 600-650g cooked mixed beans of your choice, drained if using tinned
- 1 large smoked chilli
- 500g passata
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Cook the onions with the lid on over a medium heat until soft, around 5mins should do it. Add a splash of water if they are catching.
- Step 2 Add the chopped peppers and garlic, a splash of water and cook again with the lid on until the peppers are soft. This should take 5mins.
- Step 3 Add the chilli and cayenne pepper, stir well and add the passata. Cook with the lid off for 5mins over a medium heat, the sauce should be gently bubbling.
- Step 4 Add the cooked beans and combine well. Cook for another 5 to 10mins until the beans are heated through and the sauce thick.
