Discover Un-BEAN-lievable Possibilities!

Are cans of beans sitting in your pantry waiting for a starring role on your plate? It’s time to bring these mighty beans into the spotlight and unleash the delicious potential of this versatile, nutritional powerhouse!

We’ve cooked up some inspiration to show you some un-BEAN-lievable possibilities, thanks to three creative home chefs who took on our “What’s In Your Pantry?" Challenge.

This tasty contest kicks off October 1 with voting until November 15, 2024.

Using only 10 ingredients from our Shop From Your Pantry list our challengers—The Hungry Homemaker, Love In My Oven, and Simply Stacie—have put their best ‘bean-centric’ dish forward!

Now it’s all in the hands of bean lovers everywhere to decide which influencer’s recipe is the best by voting it to victory!

The influencer with the winning recipe and most votes will win:

A $500 prize AND a $500 donation to a food-related charity of their choice

Cast your vote & enter for a chance

TO WIN $1,000!

+ get bonus entries by sharing

Meet Our Pantry MVPs

Tired of seeing beans relegated to the back of the pantry, overshadowed by flashier ingredients, these foodies raided their cupboards in an effort to transform Canadian beans from boring basics to pantry superstars.

Here’s how our Pantry MVPs transformed beans into a delicious meal using 10 ingredients or less!

Francesca is a stay-at-home mom of two, whose stomach is definitely the way to her heart! She believes food is love and sharing fun, quick and easy recipes is her way of spreading that love!

Name of Recipe:

Black Bean and Chicken Fajita Bowls

Recipe Category:

Family-friendly

Recipe Description:

These black bean chicken fajita bowls are a family favourite recipe I’ve been making for years! Full of fresh flavours, juicy chicken thighs and of course Canadian black beans! This is a perfect meal for a weeknight dinner. Quick, easy, nutritious and delicious!

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“I choose Canadian beans because I love supporting our local farmers. Not to mention, their high quality and sustainable production.”

get the recipe

Katherine from Love In My Oven LOVES baking and cooking with real, wholesome ingredients, with a focus on healthier options for the whole family. She believes in sharing recipes that anyone can make and enjoy, even with little experience in the kitchen! Her favourite type of meal to make is a quick 30-minute meal, and she also enjoys creating simple, 3 ingredient recipes that range from desserts to dinners!

Name of Recipe:

Vegetarian Meatballs with Pesto Pasta

Recipe Category:

Budget-friendly

Recipe Description:

These vegetarian meatballs with pesto pasta are a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love! These flavourful “meatballs” are made with fibre-rich, heart-healthy dark red kidney beans! Made with pantry staples, you can make this dinner in a pinch!

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“What I LOVE about beans is that they’re a heart-healthy alternative to consuming protein! Not only are beans high in protein, they are also fibre-rich and full of good-for-you vitamins and minerals.”

get the recipe

Stacie Vaughan is a seasoned home cook and the founder of Simply Stacie, a popular Canadian food blog where she shares easy, comforting family recipes. Based in Pembroke, Ontario, Stacie has been bringing the warmth of home cooking to kitchens around the world since 2008.

Name of Recipe:

Pinto Bean and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Recipe Category:

Plant-Based

Recipe Description:

This Pinto Bean and Vegetable Stir-Fry is a quick and satisfying meal, perfect for busy nights. Loaded with sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli, it's a flavourful and nutritious dish that's ready in no time, served over a bed of warm rice.

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“Integrating beans into recipes is super easy because they’re so adaptable! You can toss them into soups, stews, and salads or blend them into dips and spreads. They add protein and fibre to any dish without overpowering the flavours, making them a simple way to boost the nutrition of your meals.”

get the recipe
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Francesca is a stay-at-home mom of two, whose stomach is definitely the way to her heart! She believes food is love and sharing fun, quick and easy recipes is her way of spreading that love!

Name of Recipe:

Black Bean and Chicken Fajita Bowls

Recipe Category:

Family-friendly

Recipe Description:

These black bean chicken fajita bowls are a family favourite recipe I’ve been making for years! Full of fresh flavours, juicy chicken thighs and of course Canadian black beans! This is a perfect meal for a weeknight dinner. Quick, easy, nutritious and delicious!

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“I choose Canadian beans because I love supporting our local farmers. Not to mention, their high quality and sustainable production.”

get the recipe

Katherine from Love In My Oven LOVES baking and cooking with real, wholesome ingredients, with a focus on healthier options for the whole family. She believes in sharing recipes that anyone can make and enjoy, even with little experience in the kitchen! Her favourite type of meal to make is a quick 30-minute meal, and she also enjoys creating simple, 3 ingredient recipes that range from desserts to dinners!

Name of Recipe:

Vegetarian Meatballs with Pesto Pasta

Recipe Category:

Budget-friendly

Recipe Description:

These vegetarian meatballs with pesto pasta are a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love! These flavourful “meatballs” are made with fibre-rich, heart-healthy dark red kidney beans! Made with pantry staples, you can make this dinner in a pinch!

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“What I LOVE about beans is that they’re a heart-healthy alternative to consuming protein! Not only are beans high in protein, they are also fibre-rich and full of good-for-you vitamins and minerals.”

get the recipe

Stacie Vaughan is a seasoned home cook and the founder of Simply Stacie, a popular Canadian food blog where she shares easy, comforting family recipes. Based in Pembroke, Ontario, Stacie has been bringing the warmth of home cooking to kitchens around the world since 2008.

Name of Recipe:

Pinto Bean and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Recipe Category:

Plant-Based

Recipe Description:

This Pinto Bean and Vegetable Stir-Fry is a quick and satisfying meal, perfect for busy nights. Loaded with sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli, it's a flavourful and nutritious dish that's ready in no time, served over a bed of warm rice.

Why I Love Canadian Beans:

“Integrating beans into recipes is super easy because they’re so adaptable! You can toss them into soups, stews, and salads or blend them into dips and spreads. They add protein and fibre to any dish without overpowering the flavours, making them a simple way to boost the nutrition of your meals.”

get the recipe

Before you rush off to raid your pantry and give those Canadian beans some love, it’s time to vote for your favourite influencer’s recipe to help them win AND get yourself into that draw for your chance to be $1,000 richer!

The influencer with the winning recipe and most votes will win:

A $500 prize AND a $500 donation to a food-related charity of their choice

Cast your vote & enter for a chance

TO WIN $1,000!

+ get bonus entries by sharing

MEET THE CHARITIES

From boosting our strength and energy to being packed with healthy goodness, there’s so much beans can do, including helping these charities power up their efforts to battle food insecurity.

Did You Know? 16.9% of Canadians are food insecure.1

When you vote, you help a charity get one step closer to winning a $500 donation, so they can continue sharing their goodness with those in need. Let’s meet them!

Francesca
The Hungry Homemaker

supporting:

No Waste. No Hunger. That’s Second Harvest’s vision and they’re making it a reality through their core work of Food Rescue.

They find surplus, edible food that businesses can’t use, and through their food recovery network, get it to the people in their communities who need it.

Katherine
Love In My Oven

supporting:

BB4CK brings people together to ensure kids in Calgary have access to food. With over 30 community kitchens staffed with hundreds of volunteers, assembling lunches for thousands of kids every day, they are committed to removing barriers to food in a dignified way for any child who arrives to school without enough food in their lunch.

Stacie
Simply Stacie

supporting:

They envision a world where children thrive, free from hunger, and poverty. Canadian Feed The Children partner with communities across Canada, taking a community-led approach to support them as they achieve their own long-term sustainable change.

Grab Our Pantry Staple Checklist

Download our “What’s In Your Pantry” checklist and get creative in the kitchen! Whip up your favourite recipe and share it with us on social media using the #BeansInYourPantry hashtag. Don’t forget to tag @LoveCDNBeans and your recipe creation could be featured!

download now

Try Beans Instead!

Tired of the same-old, same-old? Try beans instead! Canadian beans can revamp your taco fillings, add creaminess to hummus, or heartiness to vegetarian chili. Discover the vast array of creative and scrumptious bean swaps that will make you a bean-liever!

Don't have chickpeas?

Try beans instead!

Want to switch up your tofu?

Try beans instead!

Ran out of lentils?

Try beans instead!

Craving a vegetarian option for your chili?

Try beans instead!

Need a rice alternative?

Try beans instead!

Fresh out of edamame?

Try beans instead!

Running low on corn?

Try beans instead!

Want to mix up your salad toppings?

Try beans instead!

Meet The Beans

A  Must-Try Recipe for Each Type In Your Pantry

With nine different types of Canadian beans grown coast to coast, there’s so much delicious goodness to explore! If you’ve never tried some of them before, we’ve got you covered with a mouthwatering, crowd-pleasing recipe recommendation for each one–tried, tested, and guaranteed to turn you into a bean lover (again, or for the first time)!

1

White Pea Beans

Try this:

Bean & Coconut Pie

3

Dark Red Kidney Beans

Whip together a:

Mexican Potato Bake

4

Light Red Kidney Beans

Try an:

Egg Plant Roll up

5

White Kidney Beans

Fire up the air fryer for this:

White Bean and Mushroom Tartine

6

Cranberry (Romano) Beans

Stir together this creamy:

Zuppa Toscana

7

Great Northern Beans

Break out the Instant Pot for this:

White Bean Chicken Chilli

8

Pinto Beans

Grab your taco chips for these:

Mini 7-Layer Dip Cups

Vote now

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Entrants must be legal residents of Canada. Contest excludes Quebec. Other eligibility restrictions apply; see Official Rules. Void outside Canada and wherever prohibited by law. Contest starts at 12:00:00 AM ET on October 1, 2024; ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on November 15, 2024. Limit: One (1) vote per entrant per day with a maximum of 5 bonus entries for sharing. See Official Rules for full details, including prizes and odds, click here. Math skill test and internet access required.

Sources:
1.  https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/6257-canadians-are-facing-higher-levels-food-insecurity

Buy Canadian Beans!

Want to stock your pantry and support Canadian bean farmers, but don't know where to start?

Canadian beans are grown right in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta! But, how do you know they’re Canadian when you’re at the grocery store? The answer is simple: look for "Product of Canada" on the label!