Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Weekend breakfasts are often heavy on bacon and sausages around here, and as we are embarking on the pre-holiday trim of our bodies, I thought I’d concoct my alternative beans on toast for this morning.

Beans on toast is always a winner in this house anyway – and these ones pack a punch and have some extra hidden veggies meaning you’re nearing that five-a-day goal before 10am. Win, win.

I use a little chorizo in these, as they add an extra smokiness and a little meat kick for Glen, who feels he is hard done by if he misses out on a bacon or sausage sandwich at the weekend, but you could equally use a little pancetta or smoked bacon or if you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan option, you can omit altogether.

Making your own beans is a sure-fire to avoid any nasty additives, I don’t bother with salt here, as tinned kidney beans etc. tend to have salt, but I do add a smidge of honey, as we know that the big brands rely on a big hit of sugar in their products – you can adjust accordingly depending on your preference. The chipotle adds a beautiful smoky barbecue flavour – but again you can experiment with your own flavourings.

I top with a little grated parmesan for me and a couple of poached eggs for Glen – one slice of toast generously topped is a really filling and delicious breakfast. These beans work really well as a jacket potato filling or a side to any American barbecue dish.

The below ‘tops’ 5 slices of toast comfortably – feeding the four of us.

Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Here’s how:

• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 75g diced chorizo
• 3 spring onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1 red pepper
• 1 carrot
• Jar of passata
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp honey
• 1 tsp chipotle paste (I use Discovery)
• Black pepper

Firstly dice the chorizo, slice the spring onion and garlic and add to a dry pan on a medium heat – the chorizo will exude a little oil – enough to cook everything in.

Now slice the green chill and chop the red pepper into small cubes and add to the pan, allow to cook for five minutes or so.

In the meantime, peel and grate the carrot and open and drain the cans of beans.

Now add the cannellini and kidney beans to the pan, and give a good mix in the chorizo mixture.

Now add the passata, Worcestershire sauce, honey, chipotle paste and carrot and season generously with black pepper and give a thorough stir.

Cook for twenty-thirty minutes or until the sauce is bubbling away nicely.

Serve on top of buttered toast with the optional addition of a poached egg or a little grated cheese. Enjoy!

Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Here are some alternative family breakfast recipe ideas:
Creamy Chocolate and Nut Porridge
Mushrooms on Toast
Berry Yoghurt Pancakes
Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins
Banana and Berry Muffins
Eggy Bread
Yoghurt & Fruit

Baby Bites Avocado On Toast

Ok so this isn't strictly a recipe, but it is a great idea for a healthy breakfast or lunch idea for your little one, and one that you can have at the same time.

Avocado is filled with nutrients and particularly high in vitamin E, potassium and iron - all important components in our diets. Also whilst they are quite 'fatty' they contain mainly all 'good' fats.

The below makes enough for two slices of Avocado on Toast, one cut up into small pieces will be more than sufficient for your baby, so enjoy the other half yourself - I add fresh chopped red chilli to mine!

1 avocado
1 slice of wholemeal or granary bread
Squeeze of lime or lemon juice

Firstly pop the bread under the grill or into the toaster and lightly toast.

In the meantime, cut the avocado in half, remove the stone (you can do this by pressing into the stone with a sharp knife, then simply lifting the stone out whilst holding onto the half of avocado).

Scoop the flesh of the avocado out into a small bowl and gently mash with a fork, leaving some small lumps so it still has some texture and isn't completely pureed.

Add a squeeze of either lime or lemon juice, which as well as helping the avocado to keep its’ trademark green colour for a while, also adds a lovely zingy freshness to it. Give another stir through to ensure it all has a citrussy zing running through.

Once the toast has cooled for a few moments, spoon on half of the avocado and spread over the toast evenly. There's no need to use butter as well.

Cut into bite-sized pieces and allow baby to feed him or herself one at a time.