Chilli with beans

½ pound (225g) frozen beef and pork mince

1 can (400g) peeled plum tomatoes with juice

1 sliced red onion

2 diced carrots (they were on the verge of going bad, so I added them)

1 tsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves minced)

1 tsp hot chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano flakes

½ tsp ground black pepper

400 g dry beans (I used half cannellini and half black beans)

Sort and rinse your beans, then soak them overnight. In the morning, rinse beans and discard soak water. Add beans to a slow cooker and add enough water to cover them plus about 5 cm (2 inches) above them. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Once the beans are tender, drain and move to a bowl.

After your slow cooker has cooled (if you skip the cooling, you may end up with a cracked slow cooker bowl!), dump in all of the other ingredients, but leave the beans out for now. Cook on high for 1-2 hours, or until meat is done and flavours have blended.

Gently stir in your beans and keep slow cooker on low (or warm) until dinnertime.

Serves 8-10

Beans in the slow cooker

Chilli with cheese and garlic bread