We've all heard of and even tried peanut butter and parsnips but have you ever tried the butter bean (also known as the lima bean?)
Butter beans are a fabulous legume to use in your cooking. It's packed with wonderful nutrients, simple to cook with and has the added bonus of developing a creamier texture when cooked but has nothing what so ever to do with dairy!! A butter bean contains... Protein - essential for growth and repair and maintaining good health.
Fibre - supporting digestive health and helping you feel fuller for longer [1] Folate - one of the B-vitamins that converts carbohydrates into energy Iron - supports cognitive function and energy as well as supporting the immune system Antioxidants - protecting the body against harmful free radicals.
They are also packed with vitamin C, needed to support the immune system as well as many other body functions. Vitamin A, supporting your vision and skin. [2, 3] Soaking or roasting a butter bean can completely eliminate trypsin inhibitor and lectin and significantly reduce levels of phytin and tannin. [6] What are these compounds? Trypsin inhibitor: which may reduce the amount of protein that the GI can absorb from food Lectin: a carbohydrate-binding protein which may cause inflammation for people with food related sensitivities [5] Phytin: has a strong tendency to chelate (bind to) minerals and form insoluble complexes which renders them unavailable in our diet. [7] Tannin: a protein and mineral-binding compound belonging to polyphenols. Although they have several health benefits tannins can bind to iron and inhibit absorption. [8] This recipe uses soaked beans so why not have a go at creating this butter bean curry.
Time to make: 35-40 minutes Serves: 4-5 tummies
You will need...
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil*
2 cloves garlic, pealed and crushed
500g parsnips, washed and chopped*
1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed (400g)
1 can chopped tomatoes (400g)
1 can coconut milk (400g) 3 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter* 1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground chilli (add more if your prefer a spicier taste) 1 stock cube, vegetable 20 ml boiling water
3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach
pinch or salt and pepper to taste (optional)
How to create...
If cooking brown rice pop this on just before starting to create your curry.
Wash, chop parsnips ends off and then slice into chunky bite size pieces.*
Heat up the oil in a large pan, on a low - medium heat, and then add garlic and cook until slightly golden. Add the chopped parsnips and cook for 8-10 minutes, until slightly tender. While this cooks, boil up a kettle.
Crush your stock cube, add 20ml of boiling water and mix until a smooth paste forms.
Pop the rest of the ingredients apart from the spinach into the pan and mix together.
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, until the veg is soft. In the last couple of minutes, add the spinach and cook until slightly wilted. Serve with brown rice and some delicious Kale Chips
You can store in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days and 1-2 months in the freezer.
Helpful information...
You can use both parsnips and carrots in this dish. I find I eat a lot of carrots already so it became a parsnip dish but you can use both if you'd like. Just add 500g of parsnip/carrot combination.
Sometimes I use sundried tomato oil, as it adds lovely flavour to this dish and it means I don't waste the oil once I've eaten my sundried tomatoes.
I like to use Whole Earth crunchy peanut butter for this dish but you can substitute this for a different brand. Using crunchy does add nice little bits of crunch to the dish but if you prefer to not use crunchy then smoot peanut butter would still work just as well.
I like to slice the parsnips into four (length ways), then chop wider chunks at the narrow end of the parsnip slices and decreasing in chopping width to have similar size pieces for even(ish) cooking length.
I would love to know if you make the curry so drop me a message, leave a comment below or find me on Instagram or Facebook. I love connecting with fellow creators. Happy creating, Emmy x
p.s. you might know someone else who might enjoy this recipe so please share the love with them.
This recipe is created with love, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, plant based and is full of wholesome goodness. All the ingredients I use I try to use organic, local and fair trade where possible and necessary but it’s up to you to choose what you want to use.
Did you know...
Lima bean has the highest iron availability among other legumes [4]