Thank you Birds Eye for sponsoring this recipe!

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I am smugly munching on these nachos as I type this and it’s times like this I really, really love my job. This bowl is SOOOOO GOOD. I am in heaven!

Spicy, chunky bean chilli with crispy, cheesy nachos. You can’t beat this combination.

This meal was so easy to put together too. The chilli is very simple and takes about 10 minutes to make, and the rest is mainly just assembling. The rice and avocado are optional but can transform it from a snack into a hearty meal.

I was inspired to create this recipe after Birds Eye invited me to join their #GoodForYourBowl campaign. Yes – that’s bowl (although as a side note: beans are very good for your bowel too.) The challenge was to create “bowl food” using one of the frozen pulses mixtures from Birds Eye. Being a legume-lover, I had to take part.

The range includes three mixes; Chickpea and Spinach Mix, Italian 3 Bean Mix and Mexican Bean Mix. As you may have already guessed, I used the Mexican Bean Mix for this recipe. The frozen bags make food prep quick and straightforward. I just had to pour the beans straight from the packet, straight into the pot, no draining, rinsing or preparing.

The bags are currently available from Tesco, Asda and Ocado (RRP £2).

But back to why I love beans so much.

Why we should eat more beans:

• Beans and lentils are so versatile. You can easily add them to almost any savoury dish for added flavour, satiation, protein and other nutritional benefits.
• They’re high in fibre, keep you fuller for longer and are great for digestion and heart health.
• They’re a great source of plant-based protein.
• They are low GI. Not only that – but they moderate your blood sugar for hours or even the next day after you consume them.
• High in potassium, magnesium and iron.
• So inexpensive yet very satiating. Good value.

Granted, the cheesy nacho element of this dish doesn’t provide much health benefits, but if you can get into the habit of including more beans into your meals, your body will thank you for it. And so will your taste buds!

Vegan Chilli Cheese Nachos

Yield: 2 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Bean chilli, rice, avocado and cheesy nachos in one delicious bowl! 

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Ingredients

Easy Bean Chilli

• 200 g Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix, (a mixture of red kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced/finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp hot chili powder
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes

Cheesy Nachos

• Approx 4 large handfuls of tortilla chips
• 100 g grated vegan cheese, (preferably one that melts!)

Optional extras

• 250 g cooked rice, (I cooked mine with some paprika and tomato puree)
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted and sliced
• Fresh corainder, torn

Instructions

Make the chilli

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Saute the onions, garlic and pepper for 4 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the spices, salt and pepper then cook for a further minute.
3. Stir in the beans and chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

Prepare the cheesy nachos

1. Heat the grill.
2. Scatter the nacho/tortilla chips onto a baking tray and sprinkle with the vegan cheese.
3. Cook for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt, then remove from the heat.

Assemble the bowl

1. Add a serving of the bean chilli to each bowl, along with some rice, avocado or any other extras you like, leaving room on one side of the bowl for the nachos.
2. Place the nachos on the other side of the bowl. Serve and enjoy!

Make a big bowl to share with friends or make it into a delicious dinner for one!