Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½–1 tsp chilli flakes, or 1 chipotle chilli in adobo, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 × 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tin kidney beans, drained
- 400 g tin black beans, drained
- 400 g tin pinto or borlotti beans, drained
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 15 g dark chocolate (85% cocoa)
- Juice of 1 lime
To serve
- Avocado, coriander, lime wedges and yoghurt
- Brown rice or baked sweet potatoes
Method
- Soften: heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrot, celery and pepper for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes.Lighter option: soften the vegetables in a few tablespoons of water or stock instead of oil, adding a splash more whenever the pan starts to look dry. Each tablespoon of oil you leave out saves around 120 calories, and most people find the dish tastes just as good.
- Simmer: stir in the tomato purée, tomatoes, beans and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer, partly covered, for 35–40 minutes, until thick and rich. Stir now and then.
- Finish: stir in the chocolate until melted, then add the lime juice and season to taste.
- Serve: serve with rice or baked sweet potatoes, and top with avocado, coriander and a spoon of yoghurt.
Why it's good for you: Beans are one of the best foods for gut health: their fibre and resistant starch feed the gut microbes that make short-chain fatty acids, which help calm inflammation. In the world's longest-lived communities, beans are eaten almost every day. Dark chocolate adds depth and polyphenols. (Read more in A Natural Age.)
Good to know: Freezes well for up to 3 months.
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