NEW YEAR, HEALTHIER YOU: BEANS PORRIDGE 

Happy New Year! 😃 This post is about beans porridge- just a little twist for those who are fond of beans in the comfort of their homes. Read and enjoy this in your own sweet time as you start another lovely day in some other place. Hope it inspires or at least helps as a reminder to others.

Excited about the new year? With the new year comes fresh energy and everyone starts making new lists of things to buy, new things to try, new habits to culture, working on new year’s resolutions while others don’t. Whether you’re the type to create detailed spreadsheets of your 2025 goals or someone who prefers to take life one day at a time, there’s one thing we can all agree on – our health deserves center stage this year. And what better way to nurture ourselves than through the food we eat? 

I get it – some of us are rolling our eyes at yet another “new year, new me” conversation. Maybe you’ve been down this road before, starting January with green smoothies/veggies only to find yourself with a bag of chips by February. Trust me, I’ve been there! But here’s the thing: this isn’t about drastic changes or impossible standards. This is about small, delicious steps towards a healthier you.

So, I am here to share some of my favorite yet simple, nutritious, delicious and healthy new year’s recipes to start the year in style. You can make it for you, your family and friends too. Eating healthier doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor.

My New Year

I can almost hear the collective sound of journals being opened and goals being written down, from Individuals to companies wanting to make more sales. Perhaps also, organizations making strategies and plans to thrive and excel. 

I was watching the news with my Dad on New Year’s Eve and a man was asked what he’d want or want to experience crossing into a new year. He replied saying he’d want to celebrate the start of the new year twice. So, say he will celebrate the new year in Australia and then travel to the United States to celebrate the new year again. You could say he wants to have his cake and eat it too – literally, in this case, enjoying two New Year’s celebrations! You too can “eat your cake” by eating healthy meals, and, “have it” in also eating tasty meals which are healthy like this one. 

As for me, my new year looks like having countless sticky notes around filled with to dos and reminders…to having accountability groups, studying in school, having responsibilities, reading my bible more, spending time with family, reading books, writing, watching movies, keeping fit, good hygiene, laughing more and being happy. (Long list…sigh! Sounds a bit like every other year actually. :))

Whatever you are choosing this new year should be a healthy you and a healthy meal. (As a starter of course…Among other things perhaps. ;))

Beans Porridge: A Must Eat in Every Home!

Black-eyed peas as we know and refer to them as beans in Nigeria are from my native Africa, and they’re so delicious they became popular worldwide.

For people in the southern U.S, they see it as a symbol of prosperity because they resemble pennies and coins. While others believe it’s a dish served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and other beautiful things. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this dish all year round.

There are different kinds of beans such as black beans, black-eyed peas, navy beans, kidney beans, brown beans, butter beans etc, plus additional ones I have not mentioned.

In other words, there is much variety of this food so choose your type. For this very recipe, I will be using butter beans, which is one of my favorite kind of beans. (Or maybe I’ll try something else in the recipe finally…who knows).

Backstory

Growing up as a child, I disliked beans a lot. Especially when it’s mixed with another dish like rice and beans or beans with pasta or potatoes. I prefer to eat it as porridge if I have to.

Things changed when I grew older and became a teenager. I attended a boarding school (eating beans is what we do😂) so of course you’d find it in our meals. We ate beans porridge every Thursday afternoon with garri (cassava flakes). Wasn’t my best choice but eventually I fell in love with our Thursday afternoon beans porridge. Especially when we made it spicy by adding dried pepper to it. Beans porridge became comfort food to me. 

Beans is one of the most appreciated meals here in my place. I have succeeded in making this beans porridge one of my brother’s favorite meals. Besides, it’s a plus because of its health benefits for growing children. Beans porridge is certainly a perfect fit and healthy meal for a “MeatlessMonday” recipe.

Eating beans porridge would be one of the very best decisions you’ll ever make in the year. So far, there are 3 beans porridge master cooks I know, my mom, my sister and me of course🤭. You would be too if you follow my recipe. 

Ingredients for making Beans porridge 

Whenever I have a meal to prepare, I always love making a list (I say this all the time) and getting them from the market early to avoid rushing myself when cooking.

Trust me, I’m terrible and grumpy under pressure especially during the festive season where a lot of people come to the market and buy as well. I sincerely don’t like buying at the last moment, you tend to forget a lot of things and it gets overwhelming. 

I also suggest buying in bulk as well, for non perishable foods that is. It’s cheaper and better, yet again whatever works best for you. This recipe is easy to make especially when your beans is boiled.

I boil in large quantities and store them in my fridge for later, that way I get to make my porridge anytime of the day. 

You’ll need beans, peppers, tomatoes, palm oil (traditionally, palm oil is used for this recipe, and I wouldn’t exchange that for any other oil), crayfish, dried fish, onion, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, garlic, spring onions, seasonings,  cabbage (optional)

Beans Porridge is Everything

Not only do I like beans porridge, I love beans porridge and I love anything with beans!

Meals made from beans like Moi Moi, Akara or meals made with beans. I’ve grown to appreciate beans more than any meal over the years. My essential “must add” to beans porridge is crayfish or dried fish. This elevates the flavor of this meal. My friend adds diced pieces of liver into his beans porridge, you can try it as well. Trust me, you will get hooked when you try it! 

Besides its tastiness, beans porridge go with a lot of things. I can boldly say; some people eat it with plain boiled rice (which I love a lot), some with fresh bread, yam, and some also would add fried ripe plantains. I have had it plenty of times with Garri. However you use them, they taste amazing! 🤩

Cooking Tips for 2025

• Onions are the secret to a lot of delicious meals. 
• Wash your vegetables very well.
• Use fresh seasonings as much as possible like using fresh thyme to cook. 
• Season as you go! Season your meal in every step of your cooking. Be mindful of the quantity not to over season your meal. 
• Drink lotssssss of water, that’s all your kidney needs really!

Benefits of Eating Beans 

• First, beans are a fantastic way to fill up on fiber; and they are easily affordable so you cannot beat that. 
• Secondly, beans are made up of high-quality protein. 
• Beans are said to promote good heart health. It can lower cholesterol.
• Beans can help to counter type-two diabetes as it can help to decrease blood sugar insulin.

Nigerian Beans Porridge Recipe

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Serves: 8 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups butter beans/honey beans/black eyed peas
• ½ cup palm oil
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 5 scotch bonnet peppers
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 Large red onion
• 1 teaspoon of dry thyme
• 3 tbsp dried shrimp (aka crayfish)
• 1/2 tablespoon seasoning powder
• Salt to taste
• Liver (optional; didn’t add it to the video recipe)
• Parsley
• Bay leaves
• Dried fish
• Spring onions

Instructions

• Pick/sort the beans, it’s important to start with clean beans. 
• Cook the beans: Pour the beans into a large pot with water. I use a pressure cooker as this will shorten my cook time. Feel free to use a pressure cooker if you have one.
• Boil the beans on medium heat until it becomes soft, it could take about 30 mins, 15 mins if using a pressure cooker. If you are using black eyed peas, it might take a little longer.
• While the beans is boiling, blend the tomatoes, peppers, and onions and set aside
• Once it boils and the beans are softened, turn the heat down to medium low, sieve out the water, add more water and rinse without rubbing then put back on the stove. This helps to reduce the pesticides that may have been used during farming and also aids the expulsion of the gas that causes bloating for which beans is notorious for.
• Then pour in the blended tomatoes into the pot.
• Allow the beans to cook for an additional 10 minutes with the blended tomatoes, peppers and onion then add in the crayfish, dried fish, parsley and palm oil. Stir well until everything is well combined, and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Season the beans with salt, seasoning powder to your taste. Cook until the beans is very tender. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving
• Garnish with spring onions or chopped parsley and serve it by itself or with rice. 

NEW YEAR, HEALTHIER YOU: BEANS PORRIDGE  was last modified: January 8th, 2025 by BARKO

Notes

• The beans tend to thicken once they cool. If you prefer your beans lighter, add a little more water and reheat. • Some also like to simmer the tomatoes, pepper and onions before blending to use. • For flavor variations, you can add a cup of chopped carrots. • If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat them over medium heat.

Footnote

Some people went Hither, some people went Thither

I waited for the sum and then realized the veggies do wither

Little bits and pieces were left after cooking for others

That’s probably the tale of many of my friends and their mothers

I leave this little thought as a starting point- you are no dustbin

But sometimes you do need people to remove and clean those.

Who prefer the crowds, and the morning comes with a lot of noise

Sometimes its sweet music and at other times it is unnecessary Din

Such is life, in short intervals- a bit of sweet, a bit of savoury,

A bit pungent, a bit sour n spicy and sometimes Betty had bitter butter. 🙂

Every dish is different and every fish is different but who explains that

To people who are looking for replicas of themselves

So that life is a simpler tamer blame game instead of acceptance of others

Who are perhaps not thinking the same

I share this with hope and a bit of loving support.

Whatever works to bring that warmth to your hearth and home.

Let’s kickstart this year with some fresh food again. 🙂

Melting Lemon Drop 5.1. 2025