\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBeans had a conspicuously good year. As gut health, fibre and the slow reckoning with ultra-processed food dominated food chat in 2025, pulses kept turning up as the sensible answer hiding in plain sight. Not flashy, not new, but quietly doing exactly what we\u2019ve been told to want: feeding our guts, filling us up and asking very little in return. And as Veganuary looms and the post-Christmas bloat makes itself known, they feel less like a trend and more like common sense catching up.<\/p>\n
Beans work because they solve several January problems at once. They\u2019re naturally plant-based, deeply comforting and cheap enough to make \u201ceating better\u201d feel achievable rather than performative. Heart UK puts it plainly: \u201cCholesterol-busting beans are packed with goodness, and the evidence is strong,\u201d noting that just four servings a week can make a real difference to heart health. Diabetes UK highlights their low glycaemic index and high fibre content \u2013 good news for blood sugar, digestion and that sluggish, overfed feeling many of us know too well by now.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s the long view. Professor Tim Spector has described beans as \u201cincredibly high in protein and fibre\u201d and \u201creally good for the planet\u201d, praising their anti-inflammatory benefits and their knack for making food taste better rather than worse \u2013 a rare feat in January eating.<\/p>\n
Which brings us to these five recipes. Smoky barbecue beans, silky white-bean hummus, fennel-spiked cannellini dishes and Mediterranean butter beans that earn their place on toast. Proof that beans aren\u2019t about denial \u2013 they\u2019re about eating well, properly, and carrying that habit beyond January.<\/p>\n
Quick-fire BBQ beans<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Smoky, sticky and deeply satisfying \u2013 the kind of beans that make toast feel like a proper meal (Veganuary)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis quick and easy recipe is far greater than the sum of its parts. Its smoky, spicy, rich flavours really hit the spot, leaving you sated and \u2013 dare we say it \u2013 happy.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\nA little oil (unless you are using a non-stick pan)<\/em><\/p>\n1 small white onion, peeled and diced<\/em><\/p>\n1 green chilli, chopped finely (seeds left in if you like the heat)<\/em><\/p>\n2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bc tsp oregano<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bc tsp fennel seeds <\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp smoked paprika<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp black pepper<\/em><\/p>\nPinch of salt<\/em><\/p>\n1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed<\/em><\/p>\n75g barbecue sauce<\/em><\/p>\nSpring onion, chopped to garnish<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Heat a non-stick saucepan on a medium-high heat. If you don\u2019t have a non-stick pan, use a little oil. <\/p>\n
2. Add the onion, chilli and garlic to the pan, then the herbs and spices, the pepper and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. Keep stirring. <\/p>\n
3. Splash in a little bit of water (or beer!) to loosen it up and saut\u00e9 for 3 minutes. <\/p>\n
4. Add the beans and barbecue sauce to the pan. Add 50ml of water and bring to the boil. Cook on a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Splash in a little more water if it looks like it is drying out or going to stick.) <\/p>\n
5. Remove from the heat and serve on a big hunk of toasted wholemeal bread. <\/p>\n
Recipe by Derek Sarno<\/em><\/p>\n
Greens and beans with paprika<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>A gentle reset dish: nourishing, fibre-rich and far more comforting than it has any right to be (Veganuary)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis is the perfect pick-me-up after a big night out or whenever you are in need of something nourishing for body and soul. And don\u2019t panic by the amount of greens with your beans! They really shrink down so you\u2019ll get all the goodness without the bulk. <\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n150g spring greens (or collards or Savoy cabbage), rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces <\/em><\/p>\n1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped<\/em><\/p>\n1 red chilli, diced (seeds removed unless you want more heat)<\/em><\/p>\n1 medium tomato, diced<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n1 onion, peeled and diced<\/em><\/p>\n1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained<\/em><\/p>\n1\u00bd tbsp tomato pur\u00e9e<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp smoked paprika<\/em><\/p>\nSalt and pepper<\/em><\/p>\n100g baby spinach<\/em><\/p>\nHandful parsley, chopped <\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the chopped greens, then immediately remove the pan from the heat, and let the greens stay in the hot water, gently cooking. Set the pan aside. <\/p>\n
2. Meanwhile, mix the garlic, red chilli and chopped tomato in a bowl. Set aside. <\/p>\n
3. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan on the hob, ensuring the bottom of the pan is coated. Add the onion and beans, then the tomato pur\u00e9e, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and half of the chopped tomato. Cook, stirring even now and then, until it starts to brown and stick to the pan \u2013 about five minutes. <\/p>\n
4. Then add 125ml water, bring to the boil, lower the heat and let simmer for another 4-5 mniutes. Remove from the heat and pour the beans into a separate dish. Set aside. <\/p>\n
5. Drain the greens, squeezing out any excess water. Set aside. <\/p>\n
6. Now, put the saucepan you cooked the beans in back onto the heat (no need to clean it!). Add a little more olive oil, the remaining tomatoes, garlic and chilli, and some more salt and pepper. Cook for a minute or two, then add the drained greens. Saut\u00e9 for a few minutes, adding 2 tablespoons of water. <\/p>\n
7. Add the spinach to the pan, and let it steam for a few minutes, stirring, until the spinach has wilted. Load the greens and then some beans onto toasted malted bread. Sprinkle with parsley. <\/p>\n
Recipe by Derek Sarno<\/em><\/p>\n
White beans and fennel with harissa<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Creamy cannellini beans meet fennel sweetness and a hit of heat \u2013 weeknight food with restaurant energy (Veganuary)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWell, this is rather fancy and yet it can be in your belly in under 15 minutes. The gentle Italian flavours combine with the kick of harissa to create a heartwarming plate of feel-good fare. <\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n2 tbsp olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n1 small onion, peeled and diced<\/em><\/p>\n1 bulb fennel, chopped into small pieces<\/em><\/p>\n1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped<\/em><\/p>\n1 x 400g tin cannellini beans<\/em><\/p>\n100ml vegetable stock<\/em><\/p>\nHandful spinach <\/em><\/p>\nHandful parsley, chopped<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp vegan butter<\/em><\/p>\n2 tbsp harissa sauce<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onions and fennel. Add some salt and saut\u00e9 over a medium-high for 5-6 minutes, stirring every now and then, until both are softening. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. <\/p>\n
2. Add the beans to the pan along with the stock and bring it to a simmer for 4-5 minutes until the fennel is soft and most of the water has gone. <\/p>\n
3. Remove from the heat, add the spinach to the pan and cover it again until the spinach has wilted. Add the parsley and vegan butter. <\/p>\n
4. Load it onto your toasted sourdough bread. <\/p>\n
5. Dollop a good tablespoon of harissa paste on top. <\/p>\n
Recipe by Derek Sarno<\/em><\/p>\n
White bean hummus<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>A leftfield take on beans on toast, and a reminder that self-care can be blitzed in under five minutes (Veganuary)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nOh look! We\u2019ve gone leftfield! There are so many different ways to create beans on toast and we believe that rustling up a tasty, tangy, home-made dip is a scrumptious act of self-care. It takes just moments to make so you can put your bagel in the toaster and have the dip ready by the time it pops.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed<\/em><\/p>\nJuice and zest of half a lemon<\/em><\/p>\n1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp tahini<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bc tsp ground cumin <\/em><\/p>\n2 tbsp olive oil<\/em><\/p>\nPinch salt<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp chopped parsley<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Put all the ingredients except the parsley into a blender and blend, adding a little water if you need a looser consistency. <\/p>\n
2. Spread onto your toasted bagel and scatter the parsley on top. <\/p>\n
Recipe by Veganuary<\/em><\/p>\n
Mediterranean butter beans<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Rich, herby and unapologetically comforting \u2013 the sort of January food that doesn\u2019t feel like a compromise (Veganuary)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe richness of the sundried tomatoes with the saltiness of the olives takes this version of the beans on toast classic to next-level soul food. Stay with the theme and serve the beans on top of toasted olive bread, focaccia or ciabatta.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n2 tbsp olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n1 small onion, peeled and diced finely<\/em><\/p>\n2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bc tsp dried chilli flakes<\/em><\/p>\n1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed<\/em><\/p>\n3 tbsp sundried tomato paste<\/em><\/p>\n2 tbsp green olives, sliced<\/em><\/p>\n100ml vegetable stock<\/em><\/p>\nPinch black pepper<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp basil or dill, chopped<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the onion and saut\u00e9 for 5-6 minutes, then add the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 2 minutes more. <\/p>\n
2. Stir in the butter beans, sundried tomato paste, olives, vegetable stock and black pepper. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. <\/p>\n
3. Remove from the heat, then load onto your toasted bread and top with fresh herbs. <\/p>\n
Recipe by Veganuary<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Beans had a conspicuously good year. As gut health, fibre and the slow reckoning with ultra-processed food dominated food chat in 2025, pulses kept turning up as the sensible answer hiding in plain sight. Not flashy, not new, but quietly doing exactly what we\u2019ve been told to want: feeding our guts, filling us up and asking very little in return. And as Veganuary looms and the post-Christmas bloat makes itself known, they feel less like a trend and more like common sense catching up. Beans work because they solve several January problems at once. They\u2019re naturally plant-based, deeply comforting and cheap enough to make \u201ceating better\u201d feel achievable rather than performative. Heart UK puts it plainly: \u201cCholesterol-busting beans are packed with goodness, and the evidence is strong,\u201d noting that just four servings a week can make a real difference to heart health. Diabetes UK highlights their low glycaemic index and high fibre content \u2013 good news for blood sugar, digestion and that sluggish, overfed feeling many of us k…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10249"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}