Real-life GL ~6 Pesto butter beans in a bowl topped with seared halloumi, a fried egg and chilli flakes

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Lunch · 5 min · Serves 1

Pesto Butter Beans with Halloumi & Egg

Name: Pesto Butter Beans with Halloumi & Egg
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 tin butter beans (400g, 240g drained), rinsed; 54g halloumi, sliced; Spray olive oil; 1 large egg; 1½ heaped tbsp green pesto; 2 heaped tbsp cottage cheese; Chilli flakes, to finish

My fried egg game wasn't on point that day, but the macros and the flavour were too good not to share.

A five-minute, high-protein comfort bowl. Butter beans have a GI of just 31, and the halloumi, egg and cottage cheese slow things down further.

Protein: ~43g
Carbs: ~35g
Fat: ~32g
Fibre: ~17g
kcal: ~670

~6Real-life GL

Low. Estimated from published GI values, adjusted for the protein and fat on the plate. How we calculate it

Ingredients Serves 1

No scales needed. Measurements are here if you want them, but it’s often easier to watch the reel, judge it by eye and have a go. Just keep the protein, fat and fibre on the plate.

Macros and real-life GL are for the recipe as written.

1 tin butter beans (400g, 240g drained), rinsed
54g halloumi, sliced
Spray olive oil
1 large egg
1½ heaped tbsp green pesto
2 heaped tbsp cottage cheese
Chilli flakes, to finish

Swap it

Butter beans → cannellini beans.
Halloumi → paneer, same weight.
Cottage cheese → quark or Greek yoghurt.

Method

Sear the halloumi slices in a pan with a spray of olive oil until golden. Set aside.
Warm the butter beans in the same pan for 2–3 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and stir through the pesto and cottage cheese.
Fry the egg.
Spoon the beans into a bowl, top with the halloumi and egg, and finish with chilli flakes.

Nutrition and glycaemic load are estimates. Responses vary from person to person. General information only, not medical advice.