For those of you who know me well, it is no secret that I love beans...and what's not to love? They're full of fiber, they're a healthy plant-based protien source, they are a slow digesting carbohydrate, and they're naturally fat-free. If you add beans to your diet, you will feel the benefits in your digestive tract, waist line, and energy level. It is true that the complex sugars in beans cause gas, but if you eat beans frequently you will encourage the growth of the bacteria that aid in digesting beans, which minimizes gas--so the more you eat, the less you toot.
When I'm trying to lose weight, I eat beans at least once a day. To save money and your sodium intake, buy your beans dried in bulk (you can add salt to taste). Before cooking, you'll need to soak your beans overnight in room temperature water OR for 1 hour in water that has been boiled (legumes do not need to be soaked). If you want to buy your beans in a can, read the ingredients to make sure there are no additives--beans and salt should be the only ingredients.
Bean salad is my favorite warm weather bean dish. With some fresh herbs, raw veggies, and a little citrus, this dish is worthy of a main course in my book.
BLACK BEAN SALAD
2 T Lime Juice
1 T Flax Oil
1 t (teaspoon) salt
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (the taste of freshness)
1 cup of cooked black beans
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped finely
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup corn kernels (either sliced off of raw fresh corn, defrosted, or from a can)
3 leaves of Swiss Chard, chopped
Whisk the lime juice, flax oil, and salt in a large bowl, then add everything else. Mix it all together and you're finished. This is a fresh, satisfying, healthy meal.
WHITE BEAN HUMMUS
1c dried white beans
2c Imagine “No-Chicken” Broth
3T fresh lemon juice
¼-½ c sesame tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t ground cumin
pinch of paprika
salt to taste
Rinse and pick through beans, place in a large mixing bowl, cover with water, and soak for 8-12 hrs. (You may also pour boiling water over beans and soak for one hour if time is an issue). When beans have thoroughly soaked, drain and place in saucepan. Cover with stock and bring to a boil. Place lid over sauce pan, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 45-60 min., or until beans are tender. Drain beans, reserving the liquid, and set aside to cool—you may want to cook beans ahead of time and place in refrigerator.
In a food processor, combine lemon juice, tahini, and garlic. Place lid on machine, turn it on, and gradually add the beans. Once beans are all mixed in, slowly add the oil while machine is still on. Turn off the machine and us a spatula to get all of the hummus off of the sides of the mixing bowl. If the dip is too thick, add reserved broth in moderate amounts until desired consistency is achieved.
Add cumin, paprika, and salt, mixing it well in the food processor. Taste your dip, and adjust seasoning as desired. Place in an airtight container and sprinkle paprika on the top. Allow it to sit in the refrigerator for at least three hours, and enjoy!
Hint: even though beans can be cooked in water rather than broth, these bland beans taste better when they are cooked in a tasty broth.
BEAN BURRITO
1 cup of cooked pinto beans
1 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 T cumin
1 T paprika
2 t salt
2 t garlic or garlic powder
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen broccoli
4 leaves of chard or kale, chopped
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add all of your spices, included garlic and salt. Add your mushrooms, and cook until moist. Then add your carrots and broccoli; cook for about 5 minute. Add your greens, mix it all together, and put it in your favorite tortilla. I prefer brown rice torillas--they are high in fiber (which I clearly don't need any more of) and they are delicious when toasted in a skillet (with NO oil)
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Two beans that are all too often overlooked are adzuki beans and black-eyed peas. I live at altitude, so everything takes longer to cook up here; therefore, cooking times may vary, and you'll need to check your beans every once in a while to see how they're doing. Adzuki beans cook for about 1 hour, and black-eyed peas for about 90 minutes.
BLACK-EYED PEAS
1 cup cooked black-eyed peas
1 T Olive oil
1 t corriander
1/4 t allspice
1/2 cauliflour head, washed with the flourettes cut into small pieces
1 carrot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 leaves of swiss chard (delicious!)
1 6oz package of feta cheese
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, and add cauliflour. Cook for about 5-8minutes, stiring frequently. Add a tablespoon of water for steam. Next add your spices, carrots, and garlic, and cook for about 1 minute--only until you can smell the aroma of garlic. Add your beans, and cook until your vegies are soft but firm. Remove from heat and add your chard and feta. Yummy!
ADZUKI SQUASH CHOWDER (A winter and fall dish)
Adzuki-Squash Chowder
1 ½ c dry adzuki beans
2 T olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped or 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
2 t tarragon
1 ½ lbs butternut squash or sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
6-8 c Imagine “No-Chicken” broth veggie stock
2 c corn kernels, canned or frozen
salt to taste (optional)
Rinse beans, and soak them for 4-6 hours in water. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a large soup pot, heat oil over med-high heat. When oil is hot, add the onion. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 2-5 minutes. Add tarragon, and stir to release flavor. Next add the squash, stirring in to coat with oil. Add the beans and the stock, making sure that the squash is covered in liquid.
Bring soup to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 60-90 minutes or until beans are tender.
Stir in corn and salt to taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary and enjoy.
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