The legume family Fabaceae is a large and diverse group of beans. Those that are grown to be dried such as soy, chickpeas and lentils are known as pulses. I frequently combine both fresh and dried together in meals, and while I love to use fresh peas and broad beans I’m perfectly happy to use frozen in their place; although I am increasingly aghast at the lack of local options for these now that Wattie’s have ceased local production of frozen goods (the baby peas were a particular favourite of mine).

Spring is a time of the year when it’s hard to predict what you might want to eat. Warm one minute, freezing the next, so while the idea of lightening meals is appealing, comfort usually wins out. Often my meals will have a bit of both – a lighter salad and pickles and then a richer treatment for protein or a bowl of pulse-heavy soup that is so satisfying.