The fit foodie: Delicious bean stew and a beef broth recipe
The weather is still a little nippy so this week’s recipes are still full of comfort.
There is a delicious bean stew to get stuck into and a recipe for bone broth.
Since the evenings have become a little more forgiving with brightness I’ve been doing a little running. Nothing too hectic just enough to get the body out and moving.
There is a tiny whisper in my head that is encouraging me to run 5k this year so that’s a small motivation. I’ve been running with different people dependent on who is around and fancies a jog, even if that is only slightly faster than a walk.
No matter who I have jogged with lately I notice the same theme emerging in chats and wanted to address them:
It doesn’t matter how slow or fast you are if your aim is simply to get fit. Don’t stress about your pace when you get started. Just get started.
"Honestly the pace is so irrelevant compared to the actual activity of going running and getting out of the house to move.
If you have any runners that are comfortable and not completely worn these are perfect for getting started. You really don’t need new fancy trainers to go for a jog. If and when you start to get much fitter that will be the time for fancy trainers.
I can’t debate this one. Sometimes running is boring but sometimes it’s absolutely lovely to give yourself time to get out and run. Try to get a friend to run with you and the boredom will go away.
You can find time if you really want too, look at all the things that take 20 minutes here and there. You just need to steal 20 minutes from that and go for a jog.
Happy jogging!
This one pot dish is full of healthy and tasty ingredients. It’s the perfect meat free meal with the beans providing lots of protein and vitamin b.
I love to use butternut squash. It’s a really versatile vegetable, in this dish it goes brilliantly with the beans and flavours.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cardamon pods
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp star anise
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 400g tin mixed beans, drained and washed
- a handful of coriander leaves
- 4 tbsp flaked almonds
- 4 tbsp yoghurt
- Optional: Serve with basmati rice
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chilli and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes.
Stir frequently and add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.
Stir in the spices and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the butternut and aubergine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomatoes, soy sauce and honey and stir well.
Cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally.
When the vegetables are tender, stir in the beans and heat through.
Divide the stew between serving bowls.
Sprinkle over the coriander and flaked almonds.
Top with a dollop of yoghurt and serve.
I resisted writing up this recipe for a little while, I worried that it was a bit hipster and on trend for my normal food writing style!
But I’ve been making broth/stock lots recently and it’s been making a huge flavour difference to some of my recipes.
Beef broth is lauded as being super healthy. It is cooked slowly which means the bones are broken down over a long time and release flavour and nutrition.
I use this broth as a base for stew, according to my husband it’s the best stew he’s ever tasted and I use it for a quick base for soups.
Once the broth is made I freeze it in portions to be used as needed.
- Beef bones from the butcher
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Water to cover the ingredients
Slow cooker
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees, place the bones on a baking sheet and roast them for an hour. Turn the bones after 30 minutes.
Whilst the bones are in the oven I get my slow cooker ready, you can make this in a big pot on the hob but I much prefer the slow cooker.
I put 1 roughly chopped onion, a few cloves of garlic and a splash of apple cider vinegar in the slow cooker.
Add the roasted bones to the slow cooker then fill the pot with water, just enough to cover the bones. Leave about an inch at the top of the pot.
Put the slow cooker on low, cover and cook for the day. I normally start my broth at night and leave it the whole next day.
Once the broth is done use a strainer to help get all the liquid out. Transfer the broth to individual containers, once it has fully cooled.
There are so many ways you can use your broth so play around with it and find your favourite recipes.
