Quick beans and spinach on wholemeal toast

Name: Quick beans and spinach on wholemeal toast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 2 portions

Pre-cooked beans mashed with tomato and wilted spinach, piled onto wholemeal toast. About ten minutes from start to finish using beans cooked earlier in the week.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 13 min
Portions: 2

Easy
Pregnancy
Postnatal
Quick and easy
Vegetarian
Budget-friendly
Fibre-rich
Iron-containing

Make this recipe

Portions

Ingredient quantities update automatically. Cooking times may need a little adjustment when you change the batch size.

Swap an ingredient

Only swaps that keep this recipe pregnancy-safe are offered. Allergen information below updates when you choose one.

Gluten-free alternative: use boiled yam or gluten-free bread instead of wholemeal breadThe base recipe is not gluten-free.
Ingredient unavailable: use tinned beans, drained and rinsed instead of pre-cooked brown beans

Ingredients

For 2 portions. Tick items as you go — nothing is changed for anyone else.

300 g pre-cooked brown beans, cooked earlier and kept chilled
150 g spinach or ugu leaves, washed well and shredded
2 medium tomatoes, washed and chopped
0.5 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp groundnut oil
4 slices wholemeal bread
salt, a little, to taste

This recipe contains foods that can contribute to a varied and balanced diet during pregnancy.

Method

Step 1. Heat the oil and cook the onion for 2 minutes, then add the washed chopped tomato and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 2. Add the pre-cooked beans and mash roughly in the pan, adding a splash of water if needed.
Step 3. Stir in the washed shredded greens and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted and the whole mixture is piping hot throughout.
Step 4. Toast the bread and spoon the beans over.
Step 5. Season lightly and serve. For a smaller appetite, use one slice each.

Allergens for your selection

Contains: Cereals containing gluten

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Food safety

Wash all fruit, vegetables and leafy greens thoroughly in clean water before use.
Cook meat, chicken, fish and eggs thoroughly — no pink meat, no runny egg yolk or white.
Keep raw meat, chicken and fish away from cooked food, and use separate boards, knives and plates.
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate where power allows, and reheat once until piping hot throughout. If you cannot refrigerate safely, prepare only what you will eat.
Use pasteurised milk and dairy products. Do not assume that loose or locally sold milk and yoghurt are pasteurised — check the label, or boil fresh milk before use.
No meal can be described as completely risk-free. Guidance can differ — follow current Nigerian maternal-health advice or the advice of your midwife, doctor or antenatal clinic.
This meal contains iron-containing foods, and the vitamin C-containing vegetables and fruit alongside can help with the absorption of non-haem iron. Food alone will not treat diagnosed anaemia: follow the treatment and supplementation advice given by your healthcare professional.
Beans, vegetables, fruit and wholegrains contain fibre, which — with enough fluid through the day — can support normal bowel function as part of a balanced diet.
Beans cooked in advance must be cooled quickly and kept chilled. Reheat them once only, until piping hot throughout.

Allergens

Contains: Cereals containing gluten

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Sources

Food-based dietary guidelines for Nigeria — Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria and FAO, reviewed 4 September 2026
Anaemia in women and children — World Health Organization, reviewed 4 September 2026
WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience — World Health Organization, reviewed 4 September 2026