Vegan Chilli Spiced Black Beans, Veggies & Buckwheat with Cumin & Coriander

Well, it’s mid June and still we are wearing long socks and woolly cardis while cowering inside from gale force winds and rain, but worry not, we Brits are a hardy bunch and we know how to keep our peckers up! Here’s an easy wholesome dinner that will not only warm your cockles but is satisfyingly healthy too.

Buckwheat is a good alternative to rice and quinoa and very versatile. You can even eat it without cooking: it’s a nce crunch in muesli or energy balls, goes well lightly toasted in granola or with other seeds and a splash of tamari. It’s gluten-free, a vegan source of protein and magnesium, B vitamins and fibre. It’s satisfyingly nutty – suits me then! – and filling.

Black beans are also a great source of vegan protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre.* This recipe uses some fresh summer vegetables: you can mix and match the types of fresh beans, mushrooms and tomatoes, use fresh chilli if you like it – I’m a bit of a wimp so this has a little chilli powder in it.

The thing is not to overcook it. It took about 30 minutes. How you serve it is entirely up to you – my husband decided to fry a (veggie) burger and some onions to have with it, I drew the line at the chips (fries) he proposed to have too :-)) I had it with some green salad.

All measurements and timings are very approximate.

Serves 2-3

All ingredients are vegan, gluten-free, and organic where possible and unpeeled

Ingredients

1 Tsp Coconut Oil, melted in a frying pan

1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder

1Tsp Dried Cumin

Onion, chopped

Pressed Garlic

Fresh Green Beans, washed, topped and tailed, chopped

Half a Courgette, washed and chopped

Few Chestnut Mushrooms, washed and chopped

Sweetcorn

1/3 Cup Buckwheat

Approx. 250mls Vegetable Stock

Few Fresh Baby Plum Tomatoes, sliced

1 Tsp Raw Coconut Palm Sugar

Fresh Coriander, chopped and some reserved

Tamari

Black Pepper

1/2 Tin Black Beans, drained and rinsed

Method

Cook the spices, onion and garlic in the coconut oil for a few minutes, stirring

Add green beans, courgette and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, stirring

Add the buckwheat, stirring, then the stock, sweetcorn, frsh coriander, a splash of tamari and black pepper.

Cover and cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When almost done and most of te liquid absorbed, gently mix in the black beans and scatter the sliced tomatoes on top.

Cover and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes.

Serve in a hot bowl with fresh coriander.

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*See also  Vegan Black Bean & Walnut Veggie Burger

Red Lettuce & Black Bean Protein Salad

Rice Bowl with Mildly Spiced Veggies, Vegan Black Bean Burger & Cashew Cheese Sauce

Copyright: Chris McGowan