Beans make a smoother paler paste than chick peas, and I sometimes like that. I know versions of humus are everywhere. And bean humus can be served as an alternative to hummus and is a great healthy store cupboard standby. It’s also perfect if you are dairy free and want an alternative to butter that is healthy. They are now saying that margarines and damaged fats are really bad for you, so things like hummus are a much better and tasty alternative. I like to serve it with bread drizzled in a little olive oil, see my scorched bread recipe in the index, and dry fried in a frying pan till it’s got a slightly overdone crunchy chargrilled flavour with a nice thick layer of the bean humus and with salad and pine nuts on top. Its great with roast veg on it too or its fab with crudités or tortilla chips as a dip.

Recipe

Ingredients:
1 400g can of beans (I use cannelli beans)
Juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon of maple syrup (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of toasted pine nuts

How:
Drain the beans in a colander over the sink and rinse under a cold tap and drain.
Put them in to a food processor with the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, garlic, maple syrup, if using, and salt and pepper.
Blitz for a few minutes until smooth.
Tip into a bowl or plate and dribble with a bit more olive oil and lastly scatter the pine nuts on top.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl

lastly beans are not only high in fibre but they are packed with antioxidants which help slow down the aging process. They are low glycemic and full of zinc and copper. So they really are a superfood too.