Our news

To all the hardworking mums out there - from all the kids out there. We hope you have had a lovely day, in perhaps difficult circumstances.

For many people in the UK baked beans are the only bean we consume regularly but, with the help of ourmeal pots, Christina, our Queen of beans,  wants to teach us to love the full range of beans, peas and lentils which are central and essential to the cuisines of many countries across the world. here are two of our best sellers:
African Palava - This is a delicious West African hotpot and a colourful profusion of Fairtrade brown beans, free range chicken, peanuts, sweet potatoes and spinach. The range of tastes and textures inspired the product’s name – Palava, which in West Africa means talking profusely or a business meeting’ – the word derives from Portuguese, introduced by the slave traders.
New Mexican Chilli - This includes Fairtrade red beans with sweet peppers, tomatoes, spiked with the jalapeño chilli; a classic combination known to aficionados in the state of New Mexico as a ‘Bowl o’ Red’.
Christina’s passion for the bean has roots in her childhood as the daughter of a Warwickshire farmer; her agricultural training and her work in Zambia, the Sudan, Belize and Bolivia, helping to improve farming in those countries. She says: “I was excited by the nutritional benefits from beans as well as their ability to fertilise the soil by putting nitrogen back into the soil as they grow. These benefits are vital in countries with levels of malnutrition and where land can be over-worked by smallholders desperate for enough to eat.”
Enjoy!

We all have a responsibility to combat the Corona Virus, known as COVID-19, a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways.

The UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate. Health professionals are working to contact anyone who has been in close contact with people who have coronavirus.

The symptoms of coronavirus a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath

But these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.

Because it’s a new illness, scientists don’t yet know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person. Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets.

It’s very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food. Viruses like coronavirus cannot live outside the body for very long.

There are things you can do to help stop viruses like coronavirus spreading.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze. Put used tissues in the bin immediately. Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Use this service if you think you might have coronavirus; in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see our coronavirus advice for traveller or you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.

It’s Pancake Tuesday! The dictionary says: “A pancake is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying with oil or butter.”
That dry definition hardly does justice to the majesty of the pancake!Let’s get flipping.
Ingredients
150g plain flour
300ml semi skimmed milk
2 medium eggs
1½ tbsp olive oil

To make
Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and whisk. Add the milk and continue whisking, until you have a smooth batter. Leave to stand for 20 mins.
Brush a frying pan with a little oil and warm on the hob, over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of the batter to the pan, tipping gently until it coats the base in a thin layer. Cook for 1-2 mins, or until golden, then flip the pancake over - steady as she goes - and cook for more 1 minute.
Repeat to make 12 pancakes, adding a little more oil to the pan before each addition.

Serve with your favourite topping. So many to choose from…

A gluten-free diet (GFD) excludes gluten, which is a mixture of proteins which are found in wheat (plus spelt, barley and rye).
Many people restrict or exclude gluten from their diets because it can cause gastrointestinal problems. It has to be excluded from the diets of people with Coeliac disease and some other conditions.
It’s no problem to give up gluten - gluten proteins are of limited nutritional value.and are not essential in the human diet.
Of course, it’s still essential to eat a balanced diet.
Base a  gluten-free diet on naturally gluten-free foods with a good balance of  micros and macro nutrients such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and rice. And our crackers!

Valentine’s Day is coming up tomorrow. February 14 is the day when we can express our love to the fullest - and don’t stop at husband / wife for goodness sake. Take the opportunity to tell your friends, grandparents, parents, cousins that you care.
SHOW them you care by making a delicious meal for them in the evening or by tucking a note in their lunchtime sandwiches…
Valentine’s Day originated as a Western Christian feast day, honouring one or two early saints. According to legend, Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of a judge and he wrote her a letter signed “Your Valentine” as a farewell before his execution!
Back to romance! The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th century, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion in which couples expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”).
Enjoy the day.

Here’s a date for your diaries.

Somerset Day 365 champions this beautiful and bountiful British county by supporting communities throughout the year. This year, Somerset Day is combined with VE Day to make the weekend of 8-10 May extra-special.

Last year, Somerset Day saw over 200 events taking place throughout the county - this year the team of organisers is expecting many more as people all over the county come together to put on a celebration too good to miss!

Across the county, there’ll be craft fairs, food fairs, open days, tea parties, cider and cheese tastings – there’s something. Check out www.somersetday.com and take your pick.

Somerset has a special place in our hearts as some of our products come from the county - our butter, organic buttermilk and our mature cheddar.

Nigel Muers-Raby, founder of Somerset Day, says: “We’re been thrilled with the way that people and businesses throughout the county have really got behind this special day and go out of their way to put on some spectacular events.”

A quick reminder that Easy Bean is on the menu at the Fountain Canteen and Lime Tree Café at bath University.

https://www.bath.ac.uk/locations/lime-tree/

https://www.bath.ac.uk/locations/fountain-canteen/

Hope this is reassuring for all those mums and dads busy texting ‘Please eat properly, it will help you study!’

It’s Chinese New Year tomorrow and we wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone Gong Hey Fat Choy!

Also called the Spring Festival, it was originally a day of prayer - but also a chance to defeat a monster called Nian who use to appear on New Year’s Eve.

In modern times, the New Year has been celebrated with fireworks - lots and lots of fireworks - events and, of course, getting together with family and feasting. Of course, homemade is the best and people will be making a special effort - but in these busy times our crackers and crispbreads, which taste as good as homemade, will also find themselves on tables.

2020 is the Year of the Rat - let’s make it a good one!

January is hard! We long for more daylight and warmer days – which we can’t do anything about – but at least we can help ourselves feel better through food! Try these suggestions.

1. Spinach

Spinach is a great energy-booster and it contains loads of healthy nutrients and helps to increase the blood flow to your brain, which will give you just the boost that you need. So eat up!

2. Fish

Seafood such as sardines and salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids, which enhance the production of dopamine and serotonin, two substances that help to regulate mood. Omega-3 rich foods also help to improve skin tone and make your hair shinier and healthier!

3. Oatmeal and fresh berries

The vitamins contained in oatmeal will give you an energy boost and promote happy thoughts. Add some fresh berries for an extra antioxidant boost - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries – or a mix of all three!

4. Banana

Bananas are a fantastic source of natural sugars that will give you an instant energy boost, pick up your mood and bring a smile back to the saddest January face.

10. Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbs such as hole grain bread or brown rice, are absorbed by the body slowly and give a steady release of energy. Carbohydrates help your body to produce serotonin. Foods that include complex carbs are: whole grain pastas and breads, brown rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, peas, etc…

Oh hello, that’s where we come in! Try an Easy Bean meal today for all your complex carb needs!