Homemade Smokey Baked Beans

Packed with plant-based protein, prebiotic fibre, and rich, savoury flavours, this gut-friendly twist on a classic is the ultimate cozy breakfast (or lunch!) to keep you feeling nourished, satisfied, and supported all week long. It’s the kind of meal that fuels your microbiome, balances blood sugar, and helps keep your energy steady, especially helpful during perimenopause, when appetite, mood, and digestion can feel unpredictable.

A high-protein breakfast is one of the best ways to support appetite regulation throughout the day, and our Smokey Baked Beans tick that box with loads of flavour. 

Thanks to the ‘second meal effect’ of legumes, this recipe helps stabilise blood sugar well beyond breakfast. That’s because the resistant starch and fibre in beans aren’t digested in the small intestine, they travel down to the large intestine, where they’re fermented by your gut microbes.

This fermentation produces compounds your body can use for energy instead of relying on glucose, helping you feel fuller for longer and supporting better appetite control across the day.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon (20ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon smokey paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

400g can diced/crushed tomatoes

½ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

400g can of borlotti beans

400g can of lentils

½  cup water

1 zucchini, chopped into cubes

40g goats cheese feta, crumbled

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

4 slices dark rye sour dough bread, toasted

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then sauté garlic, onion, paprika, cumin and chili flakes for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, fresh and canned tomatoes + water to the pan, simmering on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the beans and lentils and simmer the mixture for another 10 minutes.
4. Stir through 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley.
5. Toast the bread and then drizzle each slice with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Spoon the cooked mixture over toast, then serve with feta and remaining parsley on top.

 Enjoy! Your Gut microbes will!

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