Having tried draining and rinsing a can of beans recently for the sardine sandwich paste, I thought I could make lots of different variations of a beany sandwich filler with that same type of bean.

So first attempt
A can of value baked beans 31p
Spicy katjan sauce About 10p
Total cost about 41p, depending on how much katjan sauce you use. Would make at least 4 well filled sandwiches, so 10p a sandwich, plus 4p for the two slices of bread, 12p a sandwich.

Drain the beans in a sieve over a bowl, reserve the sauce and add to the next soup/Bolognese/casserole you make.

Rinse the beans under the tap and let drain well. Now add 45g (3 tblsps) of spicy katjan sauce. Mash it all up together, or just stir it without mashing the beans, up to you. Job done.

I did this one first as I have some katjan sauce in the fridge. I shall keep some, more or less, permanently in the freezer as it is so versatile, it goes with everything. And is very yummy.

As with our other sandwich pastes, this can be used in a sandwich for lunch, on toast for breakfast, with pitta or crudités. Great for the kids tea or lunch boxes, full of protein for growing bodies.

Other variations that can be used to flavour the beans include

• Eye watering horseradish or wasabi, maybe with some thick sliced cucumber, for crunch
• A spoon or two of any flavoured pesto. Put pesto in the search box for some home made suggestions
• A little of my favourite Pataks brinjal pickle
• Some tomato purée, I know we’ve just rinsed off the sauce, but this would taste different
• If the above made no sense whatever to you, you could whizz or mash the beans with some of their own juice
• Add a little oil, extra virgin olive oil if you can, you’ll really get the flavour here. Pound a few shreds of lemon zest and some basil leaves if you have any in a pestle and mortar, or squash it all together with a tea spoon in a mug, to really get the flavour out.
• If at home, you could serve the bean pate with warm pitta and grilled Halloumi for a simple lunch or tea. Not sure that I would like grilled Halloumi gone cold
• Mash up the beans and add some crumbled value feta, and maybe some sliced black olives

With the neutral taste of beans, there are many other flavour combinations that would work too. We haven’t even considered any sweet versions yet

• How about mixing in some muscovado or jaggery for toffee sweetness, cut through that with some sharp fine chopped dried apricots and maybe a sprinkle of chopped value salted peanuts to give a sweet and salty hit together.
• Some fine chopped value chocolate, a few raisins and maybe some chopped peanuts too
• Dates, sliced up with a drizzle of honey

and on and on we could go. What would be your favourite combination?