Beans Beans, the magical fruit?

I actually had a fantastic chocolate dessert (brownie-type dessert) made primarily from black beans! I know it sounds bizarre, but it was good. My mom is sending me the recipe... when I get it from her, I'll post it here.

I use beans quite often - these probably aren't the most creative uses, but I like eating them by themselves with some salsa mixed in (mango salsa is my favorite). I also like mixing them with my salads to add some protein and fiber.

Beans are my staple food. Lu-vum.

For any bean, soak for between 8 and 10 hours in lots of filtered water. Then, ideal prep would be a slow cooker, but otherwise most beans will cook on the stove, pre-soaked, within 2 hours.

Black bean can be drained and stored in the fridge as a pretty salad topper. Actually, any bean (chickpea!) would do well on top of a salad! Beans for a salad I tend to take off the stove a bit sooner, keeping them al dente.

Speaking of salads, take kidney beans, green beans (cut about an inch long), and canneloni and toss in a large mixing bowl with finely chopped red onion, adding olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Very tender and munchable, ta-sshhhty, salad that keeps well for a few days.

I like to add a bunch of plum tomatoes (preferrably blanched and peeled) to a pot of kidney beans at the end. And you can add chopped and steamed carrots and/or potatoes, too. When I don't have the time or space! to cook those separately I just chop 'em up and add them into the last 20 minutes of simmering.

Lentils and other legumes (peas) are much easier to work with because they don't need to be soaked. Just boil them for about 30-40 minutes. With lentils, I like to make a soup, adding boiled potatoes, and seasoning with cumin and turmeric within the last 10 minutes or so. Blend it up and it rocks! Serve with bread for a complete meal.

Or, you can drain the lentils after seasoning with cumin and turmeric, adding tiny chopped (steamed or blanched) carrot for color and texture) and serve them as a hot dish, topped with caramelized onions.

Sorry, all, if this post is just TMI!

I start with a chopped onion, 2 stalks celery chopped, 1-2 yellow or red bell pepper diced and two chopped cloves of garlic in the bottom of my cast/enamel soup pot. I saute them in about a tblsp of olive oil. Once they are carmelized, I add lentils or soaked yellow split peas. I cover the lentils with low sodium, msg free chicken stock, so that the stock covers the lentils and goes up about 2 more inches in the pot. I add 2 bay leaves and I let that cook, covered on low for several hours or until the lentils are soft. I sometimes have to add more stock during cooking, so stir them occassionally and keep your eye on them. They should have some moisture in them when they are fully cooked so you have soup not just cooked lentils. I then add 2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp salt (or to taste,) 2 tsp paprika, and 1-2 tblsp curry powder. I also add 1 tsp of cumin seeds which I toast in a dry skillet and send through the food processor. This soup is warmly spicey and very satisfying.

musical people... learn the culture of poetic beauty!

P.s. Almost every time I make beans, and certainly whenever I make black or kidney bean, I add *sofrito* to season.

Making a load of it for storing is so worth the little effort every few months.

Take a bunch of coriander leaves, a large white onion and tons of garlic. Chop each up separately in a food processor and mix up. Stores in freezer for months. If you store it in a shallow tupperware, you can pretty much punch out a chunk of it each time you make beans. I then quickly sauteé a big frozen chunk of it in a pan to add it to any pot of beans I am making.

I usually use the quick cooking method. You boil beans for 2-3 minutes. Let them sit for an hour, then cook. Lentils don't have to be soaked and they cook a lot faster than other beans.

I'm sure canned beans are fine just watch the labels for additives like sodium and sugar etc.

Is it ok to use canned beans? I dont know about soaking them for hours before using them!

One of my "go to" meals is 1 15 oz. can of black beans or approx. 2 cups of cooked beans, 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn niblets, 1 red pepper chopped and 1 onion chopped. I mix it all together in a frying pan and add a little salsa or spices and serve it in a tortilla or over rice.

Is it ok to use canned beans? I dont know about soaking them for hours before using them!

When I use canned beans (which is rare except when making chili) I rinse the beans to reduce the sodium.

Soaking beans is really easy, you rinse the beans in a collander, picking out rocks or bad beans, put the beans in a container covered in water and place them in the fridge. I soak them overnight and they are ready to use the next day. Rinsing them periodically and also just before cooking reduces the gas producing effect, plus they also cook more quickly.

If you want soft beans, leave the lid on while cooking, if you prefer them a bit less soft, cook with the lid off.

hth

I use northern beans..spinach, mushroom, onion, garlic, a little veggie or chicken broth some diced tomatoes , yellow squash, zucchini and shredded broccoli (you can use any kind of veggies you like) season with cumin, salt, pepper, mrs. dash (however you like to season) I saute the onion, mushroom, tomatoes and garlic first until the onions get translucent and he mushroom start to shrink then I add the zucchini , shredded broccoli and yellow squash and saute until the veggies are done but not over done..I then add the beans with a little of the liquid from the can along with the chicken broth stir well and cook on low for 20 minutes with a tight lid it's done when the broth has become a slightly thick sauce.. I portion this recipe into SIX 9.8 ounce portion 143 calorie meals it's soo good and soo filling and very low fat.



1 can Northern Beans 280 calories

1 can diced tomatoes 105 calories

1/2 cup swanson chicken broth 19 calories

1 medium onion, diced 44 calories

1/2 cup brocolli, shedded (brocolli slaw) you can get it at publix in the bag salad section. 27 calories

2 cloves garlic, minced 9 calories

1 medium zucchini, diced 31 calories

1 medium yellow squash, diced 31 calories

1 cup fresh spinach 10 calories

1 cup mushrooms, sliced 15 calories

Bump! Thanks!