Category: Lunches & Light Dinners

Baked Beans on Toast

The British Classic: Baked Beans on Toast

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Who doesn’t love a classic? The Great British favourite ‘Baked Beans on Toast’ is the ultimate quick, comforting and nutritious meal. It packs over 20 grams of protein, plenty of complex carbs and fibre for lasting energy, plus a bounty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – and all this for just 49p per serving!

Whether you’re whipping it up for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner, it’s easy to take this humble meal to the next level. Add a drizzle of chilli sauce (or your favourite condiment!) and pair it with a vibrant side salad for an extra pop of flavour and nutritional goodness.

This recipe is part of my ‘3 Healthy Meals for £3 a Day’ series, designed with students and budget-conscious foodies in mind – proof that eating well doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

Ingredient Cost Breakdown

  • ½ can (110g) baked beans in tomato sauce (Waitrose Essential) – 28p 
  • 2 thick slices of multigrain seeded bread (Tesco Finest) – 15p
  • 1 TBSP dairy-free spread (Vitalite) – 6p

Total cost: 49p

Prices listed are for November 2024. I used a mix of Tesco and Waitrose prices as that’s where I do my main grocery shop at the moment.

The Good Stuff

✨ Baked beans in tomato sauce provide plant-based protein and fibre, plus essential nutrients like iron, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. The tomato sauce also supplies lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

✨ Multigrain seeded bread is rich in fibre, healthy fats, protein, and essential nutrients like B vitamins, iron and magnesium, promoting heart health, digestion, and sustained energy.

Baked Beans on Toast

Top Tips & FAQS

Not all cans of baked beans are made the same! Check these tips on how to get the best value and nutrition from your beans:

✨ Check the protein content

Surprisingly this can vary considerably between brands and some contain more sauce than beans! Look for brands with at least 50% beans listed in the ingredients and a minimum of 10g of protein per serving.

✨ Check the sugar and salt content

Some brands of baked beans can be high in sugar and salt, so check the label. Many UK brands use the ‘traffic light’ symbols on the front of the can, so avoid any that have ‘red’ markers.

✨ Avoid brands with artificial additives

Some of the cheapest brands add artificial sweeteners such as maltodextin and glucose fructose syrup, which may negatively impact gut health.

✨ What brand of baked beans would I recommend?

My family’s favourite is Waitrose Essential Baked Beans, which have a great flavour, thick sauce, over 52% bean content and cost just 55p for a 420g can. They provide a whopping 16.4 grams of protein per serving, which is far higher than the more expensive brands! 

✨ Boosting Iron Absorption

Adding a vitamin-C veggie such as red bell pepper, chilli pepper or red cabbage to your meal will help your body to absorb the iron in the beans and bread. Alternatively, enjoy a vitamin-C rich fruit, such as kiwi, orange or strawberries for dessert.

✨ Gluten-free options

Serve the baked beans on a gluten-free bread, which can be found on the ‘Free From’ aisle in UK supermarkets.

Recipe Card

Baked Beans on Toast

Baked Beans on Toast

This British classic is a great option for students or anyone looking for a cheap, quick and nutritious meal. Add your favourite condiments and colourful side salad for an extra pop of flavour and nutrition!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands on time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Light Dinner, Lunch
Servings 1

Ingredients
 

  • ½ full size can of baked beans in tomato sauce (110g / 3.88 oz)*
  • 2 thick slices of multigrain seeded bread
  • 1 TBSP dairy-free spread

Suggested accompaniments:

  • Drizzle of sweet chilli sauce, brown sauce or balsamic glaze
  • Mixed salad
  • Dollop of hummus or vegan mayo

Instructions
 

  • Heat the beans in a pan over medium heat. When they begin to bubble, reduce the heat and cook until they are fully heated through and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
  • While the beans are warming, toast the bread and spread with a thin layer of dairy-free spread.
  • Prepare any side salad or accompaniments.
  • When the beans are hot, spoon them over the toasted bread, add a drizzle of your favourite sauce and serve immediately.

Notes

* I use Waitrose Essential Baked Beans. For tips on selecting the best baked beans, see my Tops Tips section above.
Storage: Transfer any leftover beans to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.
Keyword Baked Beans on Toast, Budget Vegan Meals, Easy Vegan Meals, Student Vegan Meals
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition breakdown

N.B. The above values are estimates and for illustration purposes only. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the specific ingredients used. The % Reference Intake (RI) will also vary depending on your age, gender, height, BMI, level of activity and other personal variables.

Do you love baked beans on toast? If so, I’d love to hear about your favourite sauces and condiments! My personal favourite is sweet chilli sauce 🌶 Share your creations and tag them with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I’d love to see them! You can also connect with me directly on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Sharon xx

Curried Tempeh Sandwich

Curried Tempeh Vegan Sandwich Slices

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The curried tempeh I’m sharing today makes one tasty, high protein sandwich filling! For my work lunch box, I love to serve it in a seeded bap with some juicy tomato slices, diced red pepper, fresh green leaves and a dollop of vegan mayo or mango chutney. Just like tofu, I find that adding a couple of slices of tempeh to my lunchtime sandwich really helps to power me through the afternoon and keeps me feeling full for hours.

Curried Tempeh Sandwich
Continue reading “Curried Tempeh Vegan Sandwich Slices” →
Golden Miso Soup

Golden Miso Soup (10 minute recipe!)

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Today I’m sharing a delicious miso soup that has quickly become my new favourite ‘working from home’ lunch. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and is so warming and filling. It also happens to be packed full of nutritional goodness. This is one of those meals that makes me feel really energised… like I’m ‘zinging’ on the inside! It’s been a big hit with the family too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Continue reading “Golden Miso Soup (10 minute recipe!)” →
Vegan Spanish Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper

Vegan Spanish Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato

Published on by Sharon5 Comments

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Hey dear friends, hope you’re keeping well! 

In today’s post, I’m sharing a twist on our original Vegan Spanish Potato Omelette (‘Tortilla de Patatas’). A new favourite of ours, this version features roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato. It is so flavourful and eye catching. I love those pops of vibrant colour running through the omelette!

Vegan Spanish Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper

For lunch, we love to serve it with salad or use it as a sandwich filling. We were introduced to the ‘Tortilla Sandwich’ in Seville last Summer and it is unbelievably good! I highly recommend giving it a try if you haven’t had one before.

As a main meal, we’ve been enjoying it with mixed salad, roasted veggies and vegan coleslaw. Tasty and so colourful too!

And when we’re out of ‘lockdown’, this omelette is going to be perfect for summer picnics, buffets and tapas parties.

It’s equally delicious served hot and cold.

Vegan Spanish Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper

Since this omelette is vegan, of course it doesn’t contain any eggs. How do we make omelette without eggs you may ask? Well the secret ingredients are silken tofu and chickpea flour. The combination of these two, for me, makes the perfect consistency for an egg-free omelette. If you’d like to add some ‘eggy’ flavour, a pinch or two of kala namak (black salt) will do the trick.

If you haven’t made vegan Spanish omelette before, rest assured that it is easy to make. I’ve made this one even easier by giving the option of baking it in the oven rather than cooking it on the stove. Once the batter is prepared, you can simply pop it in the oven, set the timer for half an hour then walk away. 

Traditionally, Spanish Omelette is quite heavy on the oil so, to make this one a bit lighter, I first boil the potatoes until they are just soft. I then pan fry them with the onion and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil and salt to enhance their flavour.

Since I posted the original vegan Spanish omelette recipe back in February 2019, it’s become a firm favourite with our lovely readers, and I’ve absolutely loved seeing all the photos you’ve been sharing on social media! It was these photos and your lovely feedback that inspired me to experiment with new veggie and flavour combinations. I can’t wait to see your pictures of this one!

Recipe Card

Vegan Spanish Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper

Vegan Spanish Potato Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato

This vegan Spanish omelette is easy to make and equally delicious served hot and cold. As a main meal, my family loves to serve it with colourful mixed salad and roasted veggies. For lunch, it’s great served on its own, or sliced into a sandwich. It’s also perfect for serving at picnics, buffets and tapas parties.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands-on Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Tapas
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 400 g / 14 oz waxy potatoes e.g. charlotte, maris peer or salad potatoes (no need to peel)
  • 1½ TBSP extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 large brown onion diced
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup plant milk (I used soya milk)
  • 300 g / 10½ oz silken tofu drained
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 45 g / ⅓ cup gram flour (aka chickpea flour, besan flour)
  • 2 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 TBSP cornflour (cornstarch)
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp black salt ('kala namak') optional – adds an ‘eggy’ flavour
  • 2 roasted red peppers sliced (I used peppers from a jar, fully drained)
  • 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced
  • vegetable oil for greasing the pan

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a pan of boiling water.
  • Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, then into 0.5cm / ⅕ inch slices. Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes or until tender, then drain using a colander.
  • Meanwhile, heat ½ TBSP extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) on medium-low heat and cook the onion, stirring now and then.
  • Prepare the batter: place the milk, silken tofu, mustard, gram flour, nutritional yeast, cornflour, turmeric and black salt (if using) in a large mixing bowl and blend smooth using a hand blender.
  • When the potatoes are tender, tip them into the frying pan with the onion. Add 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, 2 tsp minced garlic and ½ tsp salt. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly until the potatoes are fully coated in the oil and salt. (They should start to turn a light yellow colour). Taste test and add a touch more salt or oil, if needed.
  • Add the contents of the frying pan, roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato slices to the batter in the mixing bowl and stir through.

To Pan-Fry the Omelette:

  • Coat the bottom of a clean, non-stick oven-safe frying pan (skillet) with oil and heat on medium heat. (I use a rapeseed/canola oil spray as I find it less sticky than olive oil). Tip the omelette mixture into the pan and use a silicone spatula to distribute it evenly; smooth the top and neaten the edges. Cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat, or until the edges start to firm up.
  • Towards the end of the cooking time, preheat the grill (broiler). Place the frying pan under the grill (with the handle sticking out) until the omelette is lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Keep a watch on it as it can burn quickly. Using an oven glove, remove the pan from the grill. Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes (it will firm up as it cools), then loosen with a slotted turner and transfer onto a chopping board.

To Oven-Bake the Omelette:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Grease the sides of a 22cm / 9” loose-bottom flan tin and line the bottom with non-stick baking paper. Add the omelette mixture and press it down using a silicone spatula. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the tortilla is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted through the middle comes out clean. Leave to rest for at least ten minutes (it will firm up as it cools), then gently run a knife round the outer edge and transfer the omelette to a chopping board.

Notes

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the omelette will keep for up to five days. It can be eaten cold, straight from the fridge. Alternatively, to re-heat, I squirt a couple of sprays of rapeseed (canola) oil in a frying pan and cook the omelette slices on medium heat, turning regularly until warmed through.
Recipe adapted from Bit of the Good Stuff’s Vegan Spanish Potato Omelette – Tortilla de Patatas
Keyword Easy Vegan Meals, Egg-Free Omelette, Gluten-Free, Vegan Lunchbox Ideas, Vegan Omelette, Vegan Picnics, Vegan Tapas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutritional Breakdown

N.B. The above values are estimates. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the brands and ingredients used.

Products used in this recipe:
– Clearspring Organic Silken Tofu
– Marigold Engevita Nutritional Yeast Flakes with Added B12
– Top-Op Kala Namak (Black Salt)
– KTC Gram Flour

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Vegan Spanish Potato Omelette with Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato

If you make this Vegan Spanish Potato Omelette, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Tofu Halloumi

Tofu ‘Halloumi’

Published on by Sharon6 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing the recipe for a delicious plant-based alternative to halloumi. Simple to prepare, this Tofu ‘Halloumi’ is highly versatile. We love to add it to Greek-style salads, sandwiches, pittas, wraps and mezze platters. 

Tofu Halloumi

It was the Greek Vegan Deli guys that first introduced me to Tofu ‘Halloumi’ back in 2018 at Bristol VegFest. It was absolutely delicious!! Since then, every time I see the Greek Deli guys at a festival, I really look forward to tucking into their Tofu ‘Halloumi’, either stuffed into a pitta or as part of one of their incredible Greek platters. 

I love Greek food and halloumi used to be one of my favourite cheeses. However, once I’d tried the tofu version, I was hooked. I loved it even more than the original!

And if I’d known just how easy it is to make, I would definitely have tried making Tofu ‘Halloumi’ a long time ago!

It involves three simple steps …

  1. Pressing the tofu
  2. Marinating it for an hour
  3. Then grilling it for a few minutes.

Job done!

I especially love to use a griddle pan to get those beautiful grill lines.

Tofu Halloumi

For the marinade, I used five ingredients that are basic staples my kitchen – nutritional yeast flakes, lemon, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and salt. The resulting tofu was so flavourful. It was salty, tangy, cheesy and herby – all the flavours I associated with Greek halloumi (for Cypriot halloumi you could switch the oregano for mint instead).

Tofu Halloumi

Recipe Card

Tofu Halloumi

Tofu ‘Halloumi’

This tofu is a delicious alternative to halloumi. It can be served warm or cold, and is perfect for adding to Greek salads, sandwiches, pittas, wraps and mezze platters.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands-on Time 18 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle East
Servings 3

Ingredients
 

  • 1 block (about 400g / 14 oz) of super firm tofu*
  • 4 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
  • 1 TBSP dried oregano
  • 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Press the tofu for 30 minutes**. Slice into ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick rectangles.
  • Add the nutritional yeast flakes, lemon juice, dried oregano, oil and salt to a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. The nutritional yeast should start to dissolve into the oil.
  • Add the tofu to a wide, shallow container and use a pastry brush or spoon to coat both sides in the marinade (it doesn’t matter if you need to stack the tofu). Cover and leave for an hour to marinate. Alternatively you can leave it overnight in the fridge.
  • When ready to cook, spray a non-stick griddle pan or frying pan (skillet) with oil and pre-heat on medium-high. Add the tofu in a single layer and press down on it with a slotted turner spatula (you should hear it sizzle). Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on the underside then flip over and repeat.
  • Stored in an airtight container, the tofu will keep for a couple of days.

Notes

* I used Cauldron Extra Firm Organic Tofu (available in the chiller cabinet in most big UK supermarkets). I like this tofu as it is set in calcium sulphate so it’s an easy way to boost our calcium levels. According to their website, Cauldron Organic Tofu contains approximately 400mg of calcium per 100g (a quarter block). 
**Here’s my preferred way to press tofu (since I don’t have a tofu press): Place the tofu on a rimmed baking tray. Place a chopping board on top of the tofu, followed by a heavy object to weigh it down. The water collects in a pool round the tofu. After 30 minutes, drain off the liquid. Give the tofu a quick pat with kitchen paper to soak up any residual liquid, then it’s good to go.
Keyword Easy Vegan Meals, Gluten-Free, Plant-Based, Vegan Lunchbox Ideas, Vegan Sandwiches
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Tofu Halloumi

I’m really looking forward to seeing how you would use this Tofu ‘Halloumi’. Today, I added it to a toasted sandwich with baby leaves and shredded beetroot, sun-dried tomatoes and mayo. It was so delicious! If you make it, remember to take a photo and tag it with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.    

With love,

Sharon xx

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Bit of the Good Stuff’s Gourmet Goa Burger

Published on by SharonLeave a comment

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Happy New Year everyone! So here we are, in the year 2020. Wow! When I was little, 2020 seemed so futuristic. I imagined we would all be wearing shiny silver suits and flying around on hover boards. Well, the reality hasn’t matched up with my predictions, but life on planet Earth sure feels a bit crazy right now.

And when things start to feel a bit too crazy in the big wide world, I find it helpful to focus on the things that I can personally do (however small) to help bring about positive change. This month, I am supporting people that are giving Veganuary a try, whether they have pledged to go full vegan for the month or are dipping their toes into the world of plant-based eating. It feels an absolute honour to be part of a person’s journey as they start to make the transition towards this more planet, animal and human health-friendly lifestyle 💚

Over 300,000 people have already signed up to take part in this year’s Veganuary, which is incredible! And that includes one of my personal heroes… Brian May! I’ve been following his vegan journey on Instagram and it’s wonderful to hear how much he’s enjoying it.

I especially love this passage that Brian wrote on Day 13 of #Veganuary…

One person going Vegan for a month is a very small thing. But from small seeds big peaceful oak trees grow. Our grandchildren will need them.

Brian May

All of us really can make a difference! And if you’ve been considering joining in Veganuary but feel you may have missed the boat, it’s not too late! You can still sign the pledge on the Veganuary website. And if you’d like some personalised plant-based nutrition coaching to help you along the way, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I would be delighted to help you!

So after that long introduction, let’s get onto a recipe! I thought I would kick start blogging in 2020 by sharing one of my family’s all-time favourite burger recipes which features in the Bit of the Good Stuff Cookbook – the Gourmet Goa Burger. This recipe has proven popular with our lovely readers too. In fact, one reader that I met at a vegan festival asked me if I would sign this page of the cookbook for her mum as it was her mum’s favourite burger recipe!

Gourmet Goa Burger (Vegan)

These burgers are flavoured with warming Indian spices and have a beautiful texture, thanks to the addition of cashews and oats. Some home-made burgers can be a bit soft and mushy, but not these ones!

And what I especially love about these burgers is that they are so quick and easy to make! You can make them from scratch in 30 minutes or less! In the time it takes to pre-heat our oven and cook the fries for our Friday night dinner, we’ve made the burgers and washed up too.

Fresh, tasty, healthy AND quick to make. Now that’s my idea of the perfect fast food!

Recipe Card

Gourmet Goa Burger (Vegan)

Once you’ve had a taste of home-made burgers, you’ll never want to go back to the store-bought version. They taste so much fresher, plus you an adjust the seasoning to suit your own personal tastes. My family loves to serve these Indian-spiced burgers in toasted buns with colourful salad leaves and a generous spoonful of sweet pickle, mango chutney or vegan mayonnaise.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 1 TBSP olive oil divided
  • 1 medium red onion (130g) finely diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 TBSP mild curry paste*
  • 1 TBSP natural peanut butter (or tahini)
  • 75 g / ½ cup cashews
  • 400 g / 14 oz can kidney beans rinsed and thoroughly drained
  • 50 g / ½ cup rolled porridge oats (quick oats, not jumbo**)
  • 2 TBSP fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Gently heat ½ TBSP oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) and cook the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for another minute. Stir in the peanut butter then remove the pan from the heat.
  • Roughly chop the nuts either using a knife with a curved blade or by pulsing them in a food processor.
  • Place the beans in a mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water then shake to remove all the water droplets.
  • Tip the beans into a large mixing bowl and roughly mash using a potato masher. Add the contents of the frying pan, along with the chopped nuts, oats, coriander leaves and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Press some mixture between your fingers. It should stick together. If if feels a little dry, add a touch more peanut butter or tahini and stir through. Taste the burger mixture and adjust the seasoning to suit.
  • Divide the mixture into four equal size balls. Firmly press the mixture together in your hands, then place on a chopping board and shape into patties.
  • Coat the bottom of the frying pan with the remaining oil and cook the burgers on medium-low heat for 6 minutes on each side, or until browned.
  • Stored in an airtight container, the burgers will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.

Notes

* I use Pataks Mild or Korma curry paste. If you prefer, or you can substitute curry paste with 1 teaspoon of good quality curry powder.
** I usually use Quaker Traditional Rolled Oats
Keyword Budget Vegan Meals, Easy Vegan Meals, Family Friendly, Gluten-Free Option, Plant-Based, Vegan Burger
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutritional Breakdown

N.B. The above values are estimates. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the brands and ingredients used.

Pin for later ⬇️

Gourmet Goa Burger (Vegan)

If you make these burgers, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

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