Our news

Christina, our Queen of Beans, has come up with a new initiative for local people in her village.

As she says: “As a long-time resident of Nether Compton and local food producer, I want to offer a special Easy Bean hamper of healthy food to local people.

“At Easy Bean, we love pulses, they are one of nature’s healthiest foods. The richest source of plant protein, a slow release source of energy, high in fibre, good source of iron and excellent eco credentials. We believe in only using natural ingredients and our different ranges are all gluten-free.

“Last year, we set up our new bakery and kitchen in Mudford. We look across the fields to the river Yeo and enjoy the magnificent stand of mature willow trees next to the bakery.”

Here’s the deal: a box full of goodness delivered to your door…

The Easy Bean Box- £30

Chilled Meal Pots 4 x 320g pots

- Moroccan Chickpea & Aubergine Tagine

- Indian Cauliflower Sambar Dhal

- French Lentil & Chestnut Ragout

- Red Bean & Sweet Pepper Chilli

Chickpea Crispbread 2 x 110g packs

Made from chickpea flour and Somerset butter, then topped with different seeds - like a savoury shortbread. Good for snacking or serve with soup.

Bean Crackers 2 x 160g packs

- Green Pea & Chia Seed

- Red Lentil & Poppy Seed

Snack or serve with cheese or dips.

Chickpea Straws 2 x 100g packs

The Introductory Offer - £17

Chilled meal pots 2 x 360g

Chickpea Crispbread 1 x 110g

Bean Crackers 1 x 160g pack

Chickpea Straws 1 x 100g pack

Our “rescued edges” are the perfect snack.

To place an order: give us a call on 01935 817745 (9.30am-4.30pm) or drop us an email: easybeandeliveries@gmail.com . We will then process your order and deliver it straight to your door (no delivery charge).

Happy snacking…

This news clip on ITV West Country caught our eye this morning about ways to hold on to some positive feelings at a difficult time. We hope you find it helpful also.

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2020-04-29/finding-happiness-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/

This seems to be a good time to think about healthier food choices.
Our ready meals are wholesome and delicious. They are a healthy addition to any diet as they are naturally low in fat and salt and high in fibre. Packed full of pulses and chunky veg, each 320g pot provides 2 to 3 of your 5-a-day.
The one-pot meals are based on authentic recipes from around the world and are dairy and gluten free. They are cooked in small batches without the use of starch thickeners they taste as good as homemade.
Our Moroccan Tagine pot contains 211 kcal and 8g of fat per 320g and is a delicious mix of chickpeas, aubergine and butternut squash infused with aromatic spices. New Mexican Chilli - Fairtrade red beans with sweet pepper in a richly spiced tomato and jalapeno chilli sauce - contains 214 kcal and 5.8g of fat per 320g. These are nutritious and filling lunches.
They taste delicious on their own or can be combined with healthy salads or rice to make a substantial evening meal.

If you are running a bit low on meat and don’t want to head out to queue at the shops, don’t despair. Have a look in your store cupboard and, if you find a can of beans or a packet of dried beans, then you are in luck. Not only are beans good for you they make super tasty meals as well.
Beans are an affordable source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins.
There are many types of beans, each with a distinctive taste. Some of the most popular bean varieties are lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans and red beans.

Let’s have a look at red beans, a popular ingredient in chili, salads, and rice dishes and, of course, used by us in our best-selling New Mexican Chilli ready meal. One portion of cooked beans will give you around 15g of protein, 13g of fibre and 5mg of iron. The high fibre content can help reduce blood sugar levels, for example, one study found that consuming beans and rice is better for helping a person control their blood sugar levels than eating rice alone.

Head to the cupboard!

Difficult times for a lot of people now - we send our best wishes to all our customers and stockists.

We came across a short video on mindfulness which we enjoyed and thought might be helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3offEoqs
VTUYmkzXKSVTYz2Dk9AeO_2zExJQKcAT1GhE4WMWcUZ2YAZJw

We would like everyone to say to a virtual ‘hello’ to our boss today. Nice to meet you all!

Our ‘Queen of Beans’ is Christina Baskerville. She points out that beans and legumes come in a wonderful variety of tastes and textures and are one of our most important sources of protein, nutrients and vitamins. They are also good for the environment because they add vital nitrogen to the soil as they grow.

Christina says: “Beans are eaten all over the world and are central to traditional recipes in many continents. They can be used to create really tasty meals quickly, easily and deliciously.

“My ready prepared range includes Mexican, French, Indian, Spanish, African and Italian recipes with a different variety of bean in each pot.

“Some people think of beans as a plain ingredient but it’s important not to underestimate them. When cooked in even quite simple recipes they can be turned into something truly delicious.”

Christina and the team at Easy Bean share these suggestions for connecting online with friends and family in the current circumstances:

Share bean recipes with a friend via email
Read Jack and the Beanstalk to children over the phone or internet
Plant a bean in your garden
Devise your own bean-based meal and share the recipe.

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…