Comments on: The perfect convenience food? Why a humble tin of beans is good for you and the planet

By: It’s gonna take time… | Life:Merging

It’s gonna take time… | Life:Merging — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:08:48 +0000

[…] it’s not going to be part of my diet. To make up for that, I eat nuts, legumes, and beans. I also make one delicious bean soup that can feed me for over a week. (I’m one of those […]

By: Hippolyra

Hippolyra — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:57:24 +0000

I adore canned beans. I am sure that my Sainsbury’s delivery driver thinks that I am mad when he lugs 60 cans up the stairs with every order. They are cheap, low GI, delicious, nutritous and versatile – what more could you want?
I nearly always have bean mash rather than mashed potato now. Blitzed beans and spices make yummy healthy dips. Roasted chickpeas and beans make crunchy snacks. You can even bung a can in tray bakes!
Also if you presoak them smaller beans cook in a microwave rice steamer in 10 – 15 mins. Easier than boiling and I am sure better for the planet in terms of packaging.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:53:18 +0000

great info here. i love when taste, health, and sustainability collide! i soak my beans with a 1" piece of kombu for extra nutritional value. Kombu is a sea vegetable available at whole foods. It's an easy way to get it's nutrition without 'eating' seaweed. As for canned beans, Eden brand is the way to go, based on the ingredient list anyway :-) http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com

By: murrow

murrow — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:28:12 +0000

It’s no joke, Wendy. I thought it seemed a bit odd until I tried some Italian eggs from a stall at a local market… YUMMMY! They are so much better, with dark orange yolks (instead of the pale yellow you get with English eggs). An Italiant guy I asked about it said that it’s because of the cornmeal they feed the chickens in Italy. He complains to his (English) wife about English eggs and seemed very relieved to find someone who agreed with him!

By: Freya

Freya — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:33:38 +0000

I couldn’t agree more! Pulses, whether lentils or pinto beans or black beans or split peas are a great nutritious and economical way to make a dish go further. More often than not, they turn out to be (as Delia would say) the star of the dish!

By: sophie

sophie — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:40:18 +0000

I watched that bit with the pomegranate seeds too Annemarie. I wouldn’t have minded but it was from Nigella that I learnt the quickest, simplest way of getting the seeds out of a pomegranate. Cut in half, whack with wooden spoon (hardly a great effort!)
Hi Lucy, I know what you mean about all that cream, sugar etc. It’s by no means Nigella’s job to keep us all trim and healthy, but I’ve really found myself struggling to find recipes to make from her latest book . We just don’t tend to use those kinds of fat and sugar heavy ingredients any more.
And I’ve just felt a bit disappointed with her with regards to all the disposable kitchen equipment etc. I know that it isn’t her job to save the environment any more than it is her job to keep us slim, but I’d much rather see people in the public eye setting a good example and spreading the word rather than encouraging things like disposable oven trays and Italian eggs.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:43:29 +0000

I just popped downstairs to have a look at my copy of Nigella’s Feast (the series begins on out televisions tonight) and I think Nigella’s in danger of painting herself into a corner. She’s so meat-centric, so butter-cream-and-sugar focussed that she’s tempting people to play rather dangerous games with their health. Let alone what she’s doing recommending Italian eggs (she’s just being a smarty-pants rich lady, methinks). I flicked through Nigella Express in London and thought, nah…
I’m not a vegetarian (I eat fish and haven’t ruled out ever touching meat again – hell I buy meat for the dog, so I’m no saint either) but beans do play a very large part in my diet. Thanks for this Sophie – a balanced and fabulous piece.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:17:13 +0000

Beans, I love ’em.
Can’t have a pantry without them – so many uses, and nearly as fast as zapping a (sometimes wierd) frozen meal in that microwave-thingy.
White beans, olive oil, garlic and fresh sage make a great puree – but I love your idea of using yoghurt or creme fraiche.

By: Annemarie

Annemarie — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:18:38 +0000

I was watching Nigella last night, gritting my teeth as she proudly declared she didn’t have time to buy a pomegranite and remove it’s seeds, but she was happy to buy a plastic container full of seeds and use those. Hooray for the humble bean; I’m happy to eat borlottis straight from the tin (which I of course recycle to do my part for the environment :) ).

By: sophie

sophie — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:20:23 +0000

Hi Deb, there’s nothing wrong with a quick hummus lunch from a can. It’s way healthier than most quick lunches for a start!
Christina – your quick dressing suggestion sounds great (sadly all of my basil has recently died for the Winter but I will try this out next time I have some).
Wendy, I got all curious about what Nigella said about the eggs and went to check. In the intro to the book it says that all recipes containing eggs should use large, organic eggs (big brownie point to Nigella in my book for specifying organic), but you’re right, on the next page it says that she likes nothing more than soft-boiled Italian egg. Very odd, I wonder if she means imported eggs or chickens? As you say, I can’t see why either of these would be better than a local organic egg.