Breakfast is difficult. Not for me as such on a daily basis when I can fend for myself but at the weekends, having to feed the picky Englishman (thankfully only at weekends). Normally I am content to just have some eggs (omelets) with whatever veg I have to hand or a green smoothie. Naturally, the smoothie is not an option for him and neither is an omelet. If you’re wondering why, as eggs are such a basic food he cannot possibly object to them, then no, he doesn’t object to eggs but yolks must be kept whole. This is non-negotiable so eggs can be fried only. With bacon, obvs. And tomatoes and mushrooms, of course. Occasionally some fried spuds but usually I try and avoid pointless carbs. So you can see how breakfasts can become quite tedious.
The only other breakfast he will recognise is some sort of a pastry or cereal. As I try (not always that successfully) to stick to paleo/primal ways when possible, those two aren’t even “food” as far as I’m concerned so I try and feed him other stuff to minimise intake of refined rubbish. Which is all a very roundabout introduction to this recipe which I have discovered he will eat (albeit suspiciously) for a weekend breakfast. It is actually better received as a week-night dinner so it’s a win on several fronts.
So, clearly this is not paleo meal due the beans (and chorizo I suppose) but for me, I think occasionally beans are OK though I definitely restrict them to no more than once a week or even once every few weeks. However, it’s a good way to start (or end) the day with a load of vegetables. Omit the meat component and this can easily be a very vegetarian (and even vegan!)-friendly meal. It’s incredibly easy, just a bit of sauteing in a pan, with the lid on half the time so you don’t even need to actively do much.
I tend to combine it with a fried egg and some avocado to balance out the acidity of the tomato. Naturally, the Englishman does not touch avocado! This is clearly my plate. Although, recent negotiations have revealed that he might be willing to try an avocado mousse. It’s amazing how calling something a mousse or a puree suddenly elevates food to a different status (see previous post) so watch this space. I’m not getting my hopes up but one never knows. Now to come up with an amazing avocado mousse recipe…. I’ll post it when I come up with one but I digress. Here’ the recipe if you’re still reading.
Beans in a tomato and vegetable sauce
Print Recipe
This is kind of like home-made baked beans. You can combine it with all sorts of things. I use chorizo for flavour but one could use pancetta or forget the meat entirely. Eggs are not essential. I sometimes have this just with avocado. I'm told it even works well on toast. This is a pretty flexible recipe as you can see from the ingredient list. Basically, use what you have and what you like.
This is kind of like home-made baked beans. You can combine it with all sorts of things. I use chorizo for flavour but one could use pancetta or forget the meat entirely. Eggs are not essential. I sometimes have this just with avocado. I'm told it even works well on toast. This is a pretty flexible recipe as you can see from the ingredient list. Basically, use what you have and what you like.
Heat oil in a pan (I use a wok for this actually), add the onions and a touch of salt and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. You don't want the onion getting brown or burning.
Add in the red pepper and allow it to cook down with the onions. Once both start to soften (afer about 5 minutes) add the chorizo. Cook a few minutes so that the chorizo starts to release its lovely orange oil.
Add mushrooms and cook another few minutes (3-5) so that everything starts to meld together.
Now add the canneloni beans and cook another few minutes (3-5) so that the beans can absorb all the flavours.
Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan, stir well and close with a lid. Turn the heat to low and allow the tomatoes to break up and form a sauce. We are aiming to end up with tomato pulp and no pieces. This stage will take roughly 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent from sticking. Add more salt to suit your taste if necessary.
When everything is nearly done, the tomatoes have turned to a pulp and coat all the vegetables in a thick sauce, add paprika and stir through. Then add the frozen spinach and close the lid. Leave again on low heat for another 5 minutes or until the spinach cubes melt and you can mix it through. (If using fresh wilted spinach, the spinach just needs to be added to the sauce for a minute or two just to heat through.
Give everything a good stir, taste for seasoning and serve. The good thing about this is you can turn it off and keep covered while you fry the eggs or prepare anything else you plan to serve with it. Goes well on toast as well if you eat that sort of thing.
