Protein, fibre, energy and nutrients in a tin

Imagine that there was an entire group of foods that were ready to eat, had a long shelf-life, and were packed a huge nutritional punch at a relatively low cost.

That would be brilliant right? Well, you may have them in your pantry or grocery cupboard, somewhere in the back, forgotten since your kitchen tea when your friends got together to stock your cupboards with staples.

BEANS!

Yes, beans are inexpensive, filled with protein, fibre and energy, they have a low glycaemic index and glycaemic load, are ready to eat in seconds and super-versatile.

We meat-eaters often forget about beans because we can easily get our protein fix from other sources, but vegetarians and vegans eat beans regularly in order to get their required protein quota.

Imagine that there was an entire group of foods that were ready to eat, had a long shelf-life, and packed a huge nutritional punch at a relatively low cost.

You can use them to bulk out a meal, use them instead of a starch, make a salad of various types of beans, or get into Mexican cooking and discover a treasure-trove of new culinary ideas.

Obviously tinned beans are usually coated with some sort of sauce which can be pretty high in sugar and salt, so read the ingredient label and nutritional info and find the best ones. I usually drain off almost all the sauce anyway.

Click on the image below for a great recipe for Lamb Shank and Beans that's perfect for a cold winter’s evening:

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