FAFF FREE BEANY BITES

I was running a  workshop yesterday for a lovely  family, whose young son has many serious food allergies, among them  lentils and beans,  and sesame seeds, so that rules out falafel and humus for him!
He can however tolerate red kidney beans so I concocted this wee recipe using a spoonful of spicy mango chutney instead of tahini (sesame seeds!) to bind the ingredients together, a tin of kidney beans, some spices and grated veg and a couple of spoonfuls of sweetcorn. I rolled them in polenta (gluten free) for a nice crunchy coating and they turned out rather well, so I thought I'd share the recipe!

It is after all the year of the Pulse and all beans are pulses, extremely nutritious, planet friendly, cheap and versatile and well worth including in your diet!

Kidney beans, like all beans are high in protein, soluble fibre, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins  and support every body system.

In particular kidney beans are high in folate and soluble fibre which promotes cardiovascular health, Soluble fibre binds with cholesterol so lowers its amounts in the body and folate deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke so we want to keep our levels high!

They are exceptionally high in a class of antioxidants known as flavanoids, which are protective against damaging free radicals and the effects of aging, which is good news for us oldies!

Fibre, protein and complex carbs in kidney beans help to stabilise blood sugar levels, which is great news for diabetics and our waistline!
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So red kidney beans are all round good guys and they taste pretty good too!

​So back to the recipe
These wee bites have tons of flavour from all the lovely spices and a nice sweetness from the sweetcorn and mango chutney. I always tell parents to encourage their kids to eat as many colours as possible, and no I don't mean skittles or smarties! I mean natural colours in fruit and veggies. 
We have a few good colours here, purple, yellow, orange and green, all bringing different antioxidants and vitamins to benefit our health.

Eat the rainbow for maximum health benefits!!


Another huge advantage of these is there is no pre cooking of anything or faffing around with a hot frying pan. Simply chop and grate a few veggies, open a can of kidney beans and mash them together! Then just shape them into wee balls or you can make small burgers instead. The recipe makes 12 small bites. The polenta gives a nice crispy coating and its gluten free.
These are baked in the oven so literally fat free as well.

So these wee bites are perfect for kids and adults alike. We love them in a wrap or pitta bread with a dip and some grated or spiralised veggies, on their own as a wee healthy snack or served for dinner with tabbouleh, quinoa or spicy couscous and green salad.

So here is the very simple recipe, feel free to adapt the flavours, add your own spice combinations or just leave them out for fussy eaters, a
simple seasoning of salt and black pepper still tastes great.
I hope you give them a go!

                      FAFF FREE BEANY BITES

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Ingredients makes 12 small bites

• 1 tin kidney beans, rinsed & well _drained
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 small courgette, grated
• 1 small red onion, grated or finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney (spicy or plain)
• ¼ cup sweetcorn
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Polenta for coating
• Rapeseed., olive or coconut oil for greasing the tray​

Method

1. Quite simply put the drained kidney beans, grated carrot, courgette, red onion and the spices and sea salt in a bowl and roughly blend with a hand blender or just use a potato masher.
2. Add the mango chutney and mix together. The mango chutney is really added to bind the ingredients together so just add a level spoonful and mix. You can add  more if its not sticking together.
3. If the mixture is too wet, you can add more grated carrot or a spoonful of polenta. You want the mixture to hold together. 
4. Lightly grease a baking tray with a drizzle of oil. Take spoonfuls of the mixture, roll into balls, coat in polenta  and put them on the baking tray. You should get 12 small balls.
5. Bake in the oven at 190C for around 30 minutes, turning half way through to brown them evenly.
6.  Alternatively you can flatten them into burger shapes, in which case they will only need 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, depending on the size and thickness! 
7. Serve and enjoy!

                        .....your health in your hands.......