Our next family favourite and the most useful and adaptable vegan dish is based on a spicy bean and tomato mix. It is so easy to prepare and tastes delicious. My children like to have this with Fajitas and Nachos. Also you can add Tacos or even put the bean mix into tortillas to make a Quesadilla. If you have time, add some extras such as a home made Guacamole dip and chop some jalapeno peppers to add to your nachos.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 red onion

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 red chilli

1 tin tomatoes

1 tin mixed bean salad

1 tin red kidney beans

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chilli powder

Method

Chop the garlic, chilli and onion and add to a large frying pan or wok with a tablespoon of hot olive oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add a teaspoon of paprika and a teaspoon of chilli powder and season with salt and pepper.

Next add the chopped green and red peppers. Usually best to chop into longer thinner pieces. Fry for 5 minutes and keep stirring.

Next add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of drained mixed beans and a tin of drained red kidney beans.

Cook for 15-20 minutes on a low heat and add some water if the sauce is drying out.

Serve with warmed tortillas and some smashed avocado. Mix the squashed avocado with fresh lemon or lime juice and add chopped fresh chilli or some chilli flakes.

You can also serve this with Tacos or add into tortillas to make Quesadillas or Enchiladas.

Adapt

Add fresh tomatoes to the mixture and make it as colourful as possible using different coloured peppers – yellow, green, red and orange. You can also add spring onions and fresh coriander plus a squeeze of lime.

Put the spicy bean mix in a bowl on the table and get everyone to help themselves and make a tortilla filled with spicy beans, guacamole and salad.

Add some cooked rice in a bowl to make the meal heartier. This can be added to your tortillas or just served with the spicy bean mix.

There are different packets of fajitas and tacos in the supermarket. You can use the flavouring in the packets as well and add this to your bean mix. The recipes always suggest you add meat but you don’t need to do this as the bean mix is so filling and tasty anyway.

The new Wahaca Tacos are worth trying.