VEGETARIAN OR NOT BREAKFAST BEANS

To me, a weekend breakfast should be original, hearty and sweet but savoury at the same time. Usually I take myself out to eat for breakfast on the weekend, as by Sunday morning I am too exhausted to use the creative part of my brain to cook or even prepare food. However, when I am feeling inspired on a Sunday morning I make breakfast.  The beans and maple syrup idea came from glancing at a few recipes in various cookbooks of mine. These recipes consisted of ½ cup of maple syrup as well as ample amounts of brown sugar. A little too much sweetness in the morning. I found that just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup was enough to flavour the beans. If you want to keep this breakfast vegetarian, omit the bacon and step 2. Instead, you could add a poached or soft boiled egg or a piece of wholemeal/mulitgrain/rye bread to bulk up the protein. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil / coconut oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 small tomatoes (250g), cut into even cubes 
• 120g bacon, chopped into even sized pieces 
• Optional- fresh chives, 1/2 avocado, fresh lemon juice

COOKING 

1. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and swirl to coat pan. Add garlic and stir for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add beans and maple syrup and stir well to combine. Add tomatoes and 250ml (1 cup) water, bringing to the boil. When boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook for around 10-12 minutes, or until water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. 

2. Whilst the beans and tomatoes are simmering, cook the bacon. Warm up a small frying pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Stir for a few minutes or until bacon is cooked to your liking. (No need to add oil as the bacon should have enough!). 

3. When the beans have finished cooking, add the cooked bacon and a dash of ground black pepper. 

Serve beans alone or accompanied with 1/4 an avocado per serving and or fresh chives. I like to drizzle fresh lemon juice over the top as well. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / maximum 25 minutes 

x Emily