Chris’s hearty pinto beans

FREQUENCY:

As desired

SERVES:

2

PREP/COOK TIME:

30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Extra-virgin olive oil (£1 coin)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Chicken broth or water

2 sprigs fresh oregano

Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large, high-sided skillet or medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add the onion and cook until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Add in a tbsp of flour and stir (this will help thicken the sauce later).

  2. Add cumin and smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add beans and chicken broth or water and stir to combine, scraping any burnt bits from the bottom of your skillet. Stir oregano into the beans.

  3. Bring mixture up to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, adding more broth or water ¼ cup at a time if pan is looking dry.

  4. Before serving, remove oregano stems and season to taste with salt.

NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION:

Similar to lentils, pinto beans have around 7g of proteins per 100g and are a good source of fibre, essential for gut health. Beans are a source of mineral such as iron and zinc, which are more available if the dry beans are soaked overnight in water and then cooked thoroughly (or you can use canned). Overnight soaking also help to reduce bloating after eating beans, as well as rinsing them thoroughly if out of a tin.

Olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fat, rich in antioxidants. Olive oil can be supportive of cardiovascular health and can reduce inflammation thanks to a component called oleocanthal.

Onions are one of the main sources of fructans, a kind of prebiotic fibre which feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut.⁠

⁠Onions are also a great source of quercetin, a powerful antioxidant which can help support and modulate the immune system.⁠

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SUSTAINABILITY CREDENTIALS: