Recipe: Homemade spicy baked beans

So the first week of term has been and gone. It managed to achieve the unusual combination of both dragging and going too fast. The infamous elective protocol was looming overhead but I have managed to almost finish my first draft - draft as it will then be sent to my supervisor only to probably come back needing to be re-written. I'm just not very good at writing... I guess due to the fact that I have had very little practice. As I did mainly science subjects at school I think the longest thing I have ever written was 2000 words long. Harry is busy revising for his (almost) final exams ever! Thats a really scary thought and I say the best of luck to all of you doing the same!

This recipe is for homemade baked beans which are far better than those you get out of a tin and very easy to make.

Estimated cost per portion: £0.47
Estimated calories per portion: 137

Ingredients:

• 1/2 brown onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tin of cannellini beans (drained and washed with cold water)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 yellow pepper
• 2 inch long piece of a chorizo ring (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp harissa 
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil (if wanted)

Directions:

1. Dice the onion, garlic, yellow pepper and chorizo. Add the onion and garlic to a large pan (with a lid) with the olive oil and fry on a high heat until translucent. Then add the harissa, garam masala, yellow pepper and chorizo.
2. When the spices have been incorporated evenly and the chorizo has just started to weap a bit of colour add the cannellini beans and chopped tomatoes. Fill the tomato tin with cold water and add to the pan. Add the salt and pepper. Mix well and pour a little more olive oil on the top.
3. Turn the heat down low, put the lid on and simmer for 20 mins.
4. After the 20 mins remove the lid and stir. If it feels too liquid turn the heat up and continually stir until you have your preferred sauce consistency.

I ate my first portion with a baked sweet potato but you can eat them with pretty much anything. Pasta, rice, toast, bread, potato... 

L xx