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Spicy Beans with Squash and Spinach

Published 24 May, 2007

Who said veggie food was boring and bland? Not in our house it's not. Although we love a bit of flesh now and again, this gluten free recipe for Spicy Beans with Squash and Spinach is a welcome bit of veggie heaven. Serve with rice, preferably brown, for a tasty dinner. Don't be put off by the long ingredient list in this gluten free recipe - most of them are spices or things you've probably got lurking in the fridge.

Spicy Beans with Squash and Spinach
5cm ginger root, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
juice of 1 lime
150ml vegetable stock (use a gluten free brand such as Kallo)
500g peeled pumpkin or squash
Seasoning
400g mixed beans, rinsed and drained
225g fresh spinach, rinsed and drained
Big handful fresh coriander, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped.

Put the ginger, garlic and 4tbsp water into a small blender and blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large pan and sweat the onions and chilli for 5 minutes or so. Add the dry spices and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the ginger and garlic paste and cook for another minute.
Add the lime juice, veg stock and pumpkin/squash. Season lightly, bring to the boil then simmer gently for 15 - 20 minutes until the squash is tender.
Add the beans to the pan and heat through for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach, stir it in and cook until it's wilted - this will only take 2 minutes or so. Stir in the coriander, season to taste and serve.

Although fresh spinach is best, frozen chopped spinach is a good alternative. A lot of the goodness of fresh spinach is preserved by the freezing process, so it's better than leaving it out altogether.

This was also nice the next day, reheated in the microwave. I had mine on toast (sorry I'm a gluten eater), and the gluten free food freak had his with some leftover rice and pork burgers. I reckon it would freeze okay too.

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