Ingredient: White Beans
Amazingly, baked beans were once considered a luxury item in England! The story goes that Fortnum & Mason began selling Heinz beans as an exotic American import in the late 1800s.
You may find it hard to imagine now when most of us think of beans as a quick lunch or supper on a Tuesday, but the humble white bean has always been super flexible, from medieval bean pottages, that saw people through icy winters, through to French cassoulets.
Whether you use cannellini, haricot or butter beans, they are all naturally rich in plant protein, fibre, iron, folate and potassium. They help to steady your energy, and their resistant starch feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Stir your beans into soups, blitz into dips, scatter through salads or warm them with olive oil and herbs for a simple lunch. If you’re using tinned, just give them a quick rinse to reduce the salt. Even the liquid from tinned white beans can make aquafaba. It doesn’t whip quite as firmly as chickpea water, but it still creates a surprisingly stable foam for baking. White beans are very adaptable and affordable as well as being properly good for you, so it is no wonder that so many of us love them!
