Vegetable and Bean Bake
Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes (optional)
Serves: 6
Nutrition: Per serving
Energy
376 Kcal
Fat
19g
Saturates
3.1g
Sugars
13g
Salt
0.7g
A delicious heart-warming dish packed with vegetables and beans. Source of fibre and rich in heart healthy unsaturated fats.
Ingredients
The vegetable base
275g carrots, peeled & cut into 3cm pieces
140g leeks, peeled & cut into 2cm rings
140g beetroot, peeled & cut into 3cm pieces
275g squash/pumpkin, peeled & cut into 3cm pieces
200g red/white onions, peeled & quartered
380g carton/can black beans, rinsed & drained (any other canned beans or chickpeas can be used)
The sauce
60ml vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
60g plain flour
675-700ml Alpro Soya Original alternative to milk
75g reduced fat mature cheddar, grated
Small pinch of grated nutmeg
Topping
100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
15g fresh herbs e.g. parsley, coriander, basil, finely chopped
Method
Vegetable base
- Place the carrots, leeks, beetroot & squash in a large saucepan with boiling water and cover with a lid. Cook on a medium to high heat until the vegetables are just soft to the point of a knife. Ten minutes before the vegetables are ready, add the onion pieces to the pan.
Note: the beetroot can be cooked separately to prevent the colour leaking or cooked beetroot can be used instead.
The sauce
- Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan, add the garlic and cook gently for a few minutes. Then add the flour and stir well.
- Add the Alpro Soya Original gradually, beating the sauce well after each addition, to prevent lumps. Continue adding the Alpro Soya Original until the sauce is smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring well.
- Stir in the grated cheese and pinch of grated nutmeg.
The topping
- Mix all the ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Bringing the dish together
- Drain the vegetables into a large ovenproof dish approx. 34 x 26 cm. Add the black beans and stir well. Pour over the cheese sauce.
- Sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping and place under a hot grill or oven (180C fan, 200C conventional, gas 6) until golden brown.