What do I do with beans? A Question from Kristin in MD

 

  Currently, my family has little to no beans in our diet aside from the occasional baked beans in the summer or canned black beans which my children aren’t fans of.  I know that there are wonderful recipes out there in which beans are a main ingredient.  I just have this mental block about the long process of soaking beans before preparing a dish.  Please share any kid friendly, easy to prepare bean dishes that I can start with so that I can add the much needed bean back into our diets.  Thank you. 

Kristin- Thank you for your question. This is not only a great one but a common one as well. It is not as hard as it sounds, you just need to get used to it or get it into your routine like anything else.  It is a great habit to get into as beans are one of the healthiest foods out there. They are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and phytochemicals. They have been shown to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol and have been associated with lower risk of cancer.  Using dried beans does not only make nutritional sense but economic sense as well.  Buying food in bulk is one of the cheapest ways to shop. If you eat beans paired with rice or another whole grain- it is a complete protein. This is good news for those looking to eat less meat, whether for health or economic reasons.

I am always sure to have one, two, or three types of dried beans on hand. Usually black, pinto, and garbanzo. Occasionally I will get a bag of white, aduki, or kidney. Once a week or whenever my beans are gone, I get up- make coffee, get breakfast, unload dishwasher… put beans in a bowl with water- or- make lunch, do dishes, put beans in water –you get the picture. Ideally you go for the 24 hour soak- so count back from when you would be cooking. Everyone is different.

The basic cooking recipe for beans is usually 1 cup beans to 2 1/2 cups water. (Chickpeas, fava, and  Kidney could be closer to 3). Just rinse off your beans, put in pan with fresh water, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and cook accordingly. Timing does vary on beans. Most are about 1 to 1 1/2  hours. The time varies whenever I look it up- it is different between websites and cookbooks. I would keep the beans on for about an hour, taste and go from there. If you are doing this method, you just need to pick a time when you are home for that long. I always use a piece of kombu in the water. This is seaweed and helps tenderize the beans and is a great way to get some of the much needed trace minerals into our diet.

Currently I (finally!!!!)  have a rice cooker that also does a great job on beans! This has made my life a million times easier as they never over cook- and I never run out of water. Also, I do not need to watch the pot. I just soak one day- throw in cooker another and walk out door. I come home to beans! I buy by the pound- throw one pound in, cover with enough water to leave an inch or so on top and push a button. Done.                     

Once they are done I divide and freeze 1/2. You can freeze in a large container to use many times another week, or divide into smaller ones for one meal servings. With beans I do not freeze I will usually make some sort of “chili”- this for me is just a bunch of chopped vegetables (whatever is at the Farmer’s Market), chopped garlic, a can of organic diced tomatoes and a touch of cumin.  I may add tofu or tempeh (a fermented tofu product that adds a nice texture to chili when diced) I serve this alone, on rice, quinoa or polenta. You can add what you want- I usually do veggie- but meat would be great too. (This can also be frozen- as long as you are not using meat that has been previously frozen) For the remainder of the week I use beans in several meals. Sometimes as a finger food along with snack or lunch, in a quesedilla, with rice and chicken or vegetables, and usually in a pasta dish. I just add to whatever meal I am making. You can be creative. I often will do a batch of garbanzo beans as well- and you guessed it- freeze a bunch! With these I make a batch of hummus- freeze some in small containers- and use the others in salads, as finger foods or in dishes just like any other beans. My kids love them!

As for “kid friendly”- that depends on what your kids like. In our house my kids eat what we eat (for the most part) and I do not serve them “kid food” so it is all kid friendly. If your kids are fussier- then think of what they do like and see if you can begin to add there. Pasta and quesedillas are usually a safe bet. Anything with sauce and cheese, right? I have even been known to add to a homemade pizza. Looking around websites and cookbooks are great ways to get ideas- as are our readers!

If anyone has a great way to use beans in their home- can you comment here and share?

**The first 5 people to respond will receive a free copy of Andrea Beaman’s “The Whole Truth ”- a fantastic and FUN book on whole food eating with a dose of humor and a ton of good recipes!**

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

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