Beans: A History

Beans: A History
Buy Ken Albala's 'vividly entertaining' history...
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Ali Honour's new book is a brilliant concise guide to beans and pulses of all kinds. Starting with the basics of cooking dried pulses to achieve the best results and sprouting for extra nutrition, Ali goes on to offer a strikingly diverse range of recipes. Ali's journey with beans started as a chef looking for ways to feed people well without wrecking the planet. The more she worked with beans, the more they revealed themselves as reliable, sustainable and full of possibility. They became more than an ingredient – they became the backbone of a better way to eat. Order now and we'll throw in a free £5 gift voucher. |
Beans isn’t just a collection of recipes – it’s also a rallying cry, a love letter, a legume-laden manifesto. It’s Ali’s way of saying look what food can be: humble and hearty, sustainable and sexy.
Whether you’re a seasoned legume lover or just bean curious, this book will show you that beans aren’t just good for you, they’re good full stop.
Ali Honour is a creative force driving a better future through what we eat. She is a chef, food systems disruptor and outspoken advocate for sustainable eating known for turning humble beans and vegetables into culinary and climate heroes. With three decades of experience across professional kitchens, food education and advocacy, Ali blends culinary creativity with deep-rooted purpose to prove that good food can – and must – be good for people and planet.
Trained as a chef and shaped by years working at the intersection of hospitality, food waste and sustainability, Ali is a natural entrepreneur who has run several successful businesses over the years. Ali now leads pioneering zero-waste catering for major events, reimagining menus through a climate-conscious lens, and supports farmers and producers championing regenerative crops. Ali’s work spans grassroots initiatives and global platforms alike, including key role collaborations with the Chefs’ Manifesto and the Beans Is How campaign, the Blue Earth Summit, Dairygold and EUFIC, among others.
A natural communicator and creative problem-solver, Ali brings warmth, wit and rigour to every plate and every project. From public demos to behind-the-scenes strategy, she inspires real change through practical, delicious solutions, leading a bold movement to inspire change. Ali invites us all to rethink what’s on our plate and to embrace a future where food is fairer, cleaner, tastier and pulse-powered too.

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When I'm hungry for lunch, or dinner, or just home-alone, and urgently want something that's nutritious, filling and tasty to eat, this is my go-to food. A tray of them in the larder is essential for daily use and for a survival store. It's a meal for one, or add a bit of water to make 2 bowls of soup. Add some creamed coconut or coconut oil to make it richer. Perfect!
Why wouldn't you want wonderfully tasting green pancakes? We also alternate green and yellow blinis for canapés. You can of course make them even greener with a couple of leaves of fresh spinach wizzed into the batter.
All the peas is a nice mix for sprouting for a tasty and healthy snack or addition to salads. Soak in water, drain when fully expanded, rinse twice daily, then sprinkle on salads or like me, just eat a mouthful each time you walk past.
Absolutely loved it
loved it! - The texture was so interesting and the grains really took up the flavour of the spices. Really recommend and will be buying more