Make it gourmet! That’s exactly what we did with this pan-fried tomatoes and IMBO white Kidney Beans on toast recipe, so why not go on and give it a try?

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
15 tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried origanum
1 cup spinach, torn
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup baby tomatoes
1½ cups IMBO white Kidney Beans, cooked according to packet instructions
1 ciabatta, sliced and toasted

METHOD
1. Slice a small ‘x’ into the skin at the bottom of each tomato. Place in a large bowl and soak in boiling water. Cover with a plate and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain, pinch off the skins and roughly chop.
2. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, sage and origanum. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until thickened.
4. Stir through the spinach and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Heat some more oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the baby tomatoes until blistered.
6. Add the baby tomatoes along with the beans to the tomato sauce.
7. Spoon some of the beans in sauce on to the toast and serve immediately.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Gourmet beans on toast with IMBO White Kidney Beans appeared first on MyKitchen.

Show some legume love this winter by warming your belly with this North African stew with IMBO Brown Lentils!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the berbere spice mix
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp allspice
For the North African stew
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
3 tbsp berbere spice mix
2 cups IMBO Brown Lentils, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
For the salsa
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
½ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
To serve
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
½ cup double cream yoghurt
4 naans, toasted

METHOD
For the berbere spice mix
1. Toast the coriander seeds and fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, until fragrant. Cool and then grind.
2. Add chilli flakes and then grind.
3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Store for up to 5 months.
For the North African stew
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the spice mix and fry until fragrant. Add the lentils and stock.
3. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are almost cooked.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and lemon juice and simmer for 5–10 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
For the salsa
1. Whisk together the lime juice and olive oil. Stir through the onion, chilli and coriander.
To serve
1. Dish the stew up into bowls and top with the salsa, almonds and yoghurt with the naan on the side.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth MacKenzie
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post North African stew with IMBO Brown Lentils appeared first on MyKitchen.

The school holidays are nearing, your annual leave is just around the corner, and with the festive season in full swing who doesn’t want a homemade biscuit or two to share in the name of love, family and cosy celebration? Come January, grandma’s Christmas cookies might have overstayed their welcome leaving your jeans just a little tighter than they were last month. Enter Imbo lentils; the nutritious, healthy answer to your holiday eating woes.

By Jana du Plessis

The health benefits

Since the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses (http://iyp2016.org/ ) the spotlight was being put on finding creative ways to incorporate more beans – especially lentils – into the average family’s diet. Here are just a few reasons why the humble lentil should not be overlooked as a nutrient-rich, health-boosting powerhouse:
1. Lentils are high in protein and fibre.
2. One cup of cooked lentils provides 16 grams of fibre and 26% of it’s calories to protein, making it the third richest legume in protein.
3. Lentils contain more folate than any other plant food. Folate, also known as folic acid or B9, supports the generation of new cells and are particularly essential to a pregnant woman’s diet. It has also been shown to prevent certain types of cancer.
4. The combination of fibre, folic acid and potassium in lentils makes it a heart-healthy food choice. Bonus: a ¾ cup of cooked lentils contains more potassium than a large banana!
5. Lentils cook faster than other dried beans and do not have to be soaked beforehand.
6. Lentils are versatile and inexpensive, which makes them an easy ingredient to incorporate into everyday cooking.

How to eat more lentils

Since lentils are such an adaptable legume, it’s very simple to make them a part of your regular recipe round up:
1. Bulk up your mince and burger patties with them or use them entirely in veggie-based patties or meatballs.
2. Cooked and puréed, they thicken soups, stews and sauces without any unhealthy extras
3. Lentils are delicious in desserts! They are mild in flavour and add plenty of moisture to baked goods, from cakes to brownies. No one will be able to tell that you sneaked in some wholesome goodness into a supposedly indulgent treat.

To kick you off, we suggest baking these scrumptious lentil and raspberry chews for tea time!

The post Wellness Wednesday: Cook yourself healthy with Imbo lentils appeared first on MyKitchen.

We absolutely love the idea of sneaking healthy legumes into our sweet treats. These delights are quick, easy, budget-friendly and perfect for #wellnessWednesday!

MAKES 18 bars

INGREDIENTS
325 ml wholewheat flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 ml baking powder
2 ml cinnamon
1 ml salt
½ cup buter
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tbsp raspberry jam
For the lentil filling
270 ml cooked Imbo lentils
½ cup water
175 ml brown sugar
60 ml cake flour
7 ml baking powder
1 ml salt
2 ml vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten
175 ml Imbo desiccated coconut
½ cup pecans, chopped

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and grease a 22 x 33 cm baking dish.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form.
4. Mix in the egg and mix to form a dough.
5. Press into the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes until firm. Remove and cool.
6. Spread with the raspberry jam.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C.
8. In a food processor, puree the lentils with the water.
9. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.
10. Mix in the lentil puree, vanilla essence and eggs.
11. Add the coconut and pecan nuts, then spread the lentil filling over the jam in the cooled crust.
12. Bake until firm, about 35 minutes. Cool and cut into 18 bars.

The post Wellness Wednesday: Lentil and raspberry chews appeared first on MyKitchen.