Ideas for tasty veggie things with beans/pulses in

[CaptainWarbeck]

I like beans but could eat more of them, I know they're packed full of goodness and fibre and protein etc etc. But I never really know what to do with them! This goes for pulses too so chickpeas, lentils etc. I end up stockpiling tins and bags of them in the cupboards, idly bunging a few into a lasagne or something, then letting the rest fester in the fridge for a while before eventually chucking them out, all cold and sad. What does anyone make with them that's a bit hearty (we're not really a salad for dinner family) and tasty?

I eat a simple chickpea curry at least once a fortnight when I'm in on my own. Even better with a ton of spinach.

And Nigellas cauliflower and chickpea salad is immense. If a cauli turns up in my veg box then I make that without fail - does two lunches.

If you aren't actually veggie, I also do spiced chickpeas as an accompaniment to salmon. Just roll them in oil then on a plate of spices you like, then a quick fry off.

(Other pulses are available but the pps seem to have covered the beans and lentils!)

Thank you Wind, that is helpful.

I think I will leave the beans alone, I have tried kidney beans in chillies and couple of times, when people have cooked it for me and I was being polite, I really didn't like them. and ended up with an embarrassing pile of them on my otherwise empty plate

I love humus so will have a go at some recipes with whole chickpeas in them.

Thank you again!

Jamie Oliver does a fab chilli with beans and leeks, lovely in a wrap with guacamole and sour cream!

Bake I know what you mean, I hate broad beans too, something about the skin and the texture.

If you blend white/cannellini beans up and stir into soup it makes it really creamy and you get the goodness without having to eat every single bean! I do it with minestrone.

Also found that pinto beans are strangely delicious, not sure why. Use them in mexicany type stuff like enchiladas or chilli. Refried beans that you buy in tins and put in burritos are pinto beans I think.

Broad beans are lovely if you have the patience to remove their tougher outer skin . I aways steam them and peas in their pods it makes them sweeter and nicer. (you have to remove the pods of course!).

Chickpeas including houmous, which is every bleedin' where, bloat me and give me wind ,sorry tmi .

I'll second the blending. I had a lot of issues with the texture of food when I was younger, so Dad would blend a proper veggie pasta sauce, or all the beans and vegetables I wouldn't eat otherwise in a chili. Blended beans do work really well in soups/stews/pies etc., if you want the nutrients. You can also try mashing them really well for beanburgers or fritters- the moroccan chickpea cakes hopingforsomesunshine posted look delicious, and you can look at falafel recipes as well.

Noah how did you measure out the spices in that curry? I have no idea how to measure 4g of a spice!

Bakeoff cakes

I really don't like kidney beans, haricot beans, borlotti, cannelli etc. I just can't stand the texture but then I loathe mashed potatoes as well - yes even the delicious creamy type that everyone tries to tell me is delicious- (something to do with the starchy texture I think) .

I do however like chickpeas, black eyed beans, pinto beans, split peas and lentils (I prefer the ones that hold their shape so green and brown ones rather than the red ones used to make dhal type stuff, though I don't mind the occasional dhal either ) so maybe try some of those.

I also absolutely loathe sweet potatoes which seems to be so popular in vegetarian recipes at the moment, they just makes things too sweet for me but I just replace them with potatoes and cook them a bit longer

I'd say 4g is around a level teaspoon RiverTam?

But River Tam If you want it to taste of curry properly, put plenty more than 4g. of spice in it. DH can only taste the curry when I've put a couple of tsp. of each spice in it.

Thanks Lonny. I couldn't get my head around 4g of this and 3g of that! The curry recipe I do is measuring in half a teaspoon, one level teaspoon etc.

A couple of each spice would be way to much for us, ppea, the curry I usually do has 5 different spices in it and is absolutely delicious as is. Double the spice would be horrible.

Not chilli RiverTam I don't put chilli in mine, just ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cardamom. Because there's no chilli in it it seems to need more of the milder ones IFYSWIM.

rivertam
this morning I found out that 5 g is half a teaspoon, too late, but yesterday I just put in half a teaspoon

I ate the remains cold for lunch, still even more tasty