Autumn recipe from Lizzie Loves Healthy

Lizzie King, the Founder of Lizzie Loves Healthy and author of the cookbook, Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food, shares the recipe for her tasty Three Bean & Lentil Chilli.

Smoky three-bean & lentil chilli

Lizzie Says; “A tweak on an old favourite that I realised my son could enjoy too at a young age. This perfect wintry supper bowl is full of cold- fighting vitamins and minerals. Serve with some brown basmati rice, or as my husband does, with lots of mashed potato.”

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1⁄2 tsp chipotle paste
3 × 400g tins plum tomatoes
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
1⁄2 cup (110g) Puy lentils
400g tin red kidney beans, drained
400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained
400g tin pinto beans, rinsed and drained
A few coriander sprigs, stalks torn
3 tbsp tomato purée
dollop of coconut yoghurt, to garnish
1 red chilli, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the chopped vegetables. Stir in the paprika and chipotle paste and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and again until the vegetables soften.

Tip in the tomatoes and break them up a bit with the back of a wooden spoon, adding in most of the stock once you’ve swirled it round the emptied tomato tins to get the last of the juices out. Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Once it is all bubbling, turn the heat back down to low and let it simmer gently for 45 minutes.

Add in the lentils and all the rinsed beans, with the coriander stalks, and bring to the boil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the tomato purée, and another dash of stock if the chilli looks a little dry, then continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the lentils and beans are tender if using soaked beans.

Divide between bowls and enjoy either as is, or with rice and a blob of yoghurt on the side. Scatter with snipped coriander leaves and chilli, if you like.

This keeps in the fridge for up to a week and freezes really well too.

Photography by Charlotte Kibbles. Recipe from ‘Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food: Delicious and Nutritious Meals You'll All Enjoy’ by Lizzie King, published as a paperback and eBook (£16.99/£10.99) by Trapeze and available to buy here.

Find out more about Lizzie on her website, www.lizzieloveshealthy.com.