Heart Healthy, Fibre-Rich Bean Chilli: A Favourite of Every Nutrition Health Coach

If you eat a lot of beans in your diet, you might be smugly reading this post—already knowing how much beans benefit your health. But for many, especially those unfamiliar with cooking from scratch, beans are not a daily staple. As any nutrition health coach will tell you, that's a missed opportunity!

Why Nutrition Health Coaches Love Beans

Whether you're a meat eater or plant-based, beans are incredibly versatile and packed with health benefits. A nutrition health coach often encourages clients to eat more beans and legumes not just for the taste or texture—but for what they do for your body.

Firstly beans are high in fibre. Fibre intake contributes to feelings of fullness and helps maintain functioning of the digestive system. The consumption of fibre has also been associated with decreasing total and LDL cholesterol, as well as decreasing the risk for developing coronary heart disease, metabolic syndrome, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

Beans are a source of plant protein which is needed to build muscle, hair, skin, and immune system amongst other functions. Protein also helps to stabilise our blood sugar and keeps us fuller for longer, making it a go-to recommendation from every nutrition health coach.

Affordable, Healthy, and Easy: A Win for Everyone

Best of all - beans bulk out meals and are cheap, so they are a great store cupboard staple. With the cost of living crisis ever present, it's important to find healthy food that doesn't cost too much - and beans certainly fit the bill. Add them into stews, soups, chillis, curries, purée them, mash them or oven roast them—they’re as versatile as they are nutritious.

As nutrition health coaches, we know the power of simple, unprocessed foods. With our healthcare system under pressure, it's more important than ever to shift towards whole foods that support long-term health—and beans are a great place to start.

Healthy and Hearty Bean Chilli Recipe

(Nutrition health coach–approved!)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 200g mushrooms

• Olive oil

• 1⁄4 tsp salt

• 1⁄4 tsp black pepper

• 2 small onions

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes or cayenne pepper (adjust according to how spicy you like it).

• 1 tsp dried cumin

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Handful of fresh coriander

• 2 medium carrots

• 1 stick of celery

• 1 yellow or red pepper

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1.5 tsp miso paste

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

• 1/2 pint water

• 1 x 400g tin black beans

• 1 x 400g tin lentils

• 2 squares of dark chocolate

• Natural yogurt and avocado to serve.

Method:

Put the onions, celery, carrots and pepper into a food processor and blitz until small (but not mushy!)

Add a tbsp of olive oil into a hot frying pan and add the blitzed vegetables. Stir on and off for 5 minutes. Once the vegetables have started to cook, add all the spices and herbs. Add a little water at this stage to prevent burning and turn the heat down if necessary.

Finely chop the mushrooms or put them in the food processor and blitz until small. Add these to the vegetable mixture.

Stir and cook the mushrooms for a further 5 minutes.

Add the 2 tins of tomatoes, water, tomato puree, soya sauce, garlic and miso paste and stir. Bring to the boil and then to a simmer and cook for a further 20 minutes with the lid off. Add the tins of black beans, lentils, dark chocolate and stir. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with rice or quinoa or on a sweet potato with avocado, natural yogurt and coriander.

This dish is a staple in many nutrition health coach kitchens. It's freezer-friendly, easy to batch cook, and full of flavour—and fibre! Enjoy making it part of your regular routine.

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