Beans

nitadances
nitadances Posts: 16 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm looking for ways to incorporate beans into my diet (instead of meat). I also want to make from dried, not canned. This is a big change for me as I have not been a bean eater in the past. Any ideas besides soup and chili? Thanks!

Replies

  • heis4u2004
    heis4u2004 Posts: 176 Member
    http://www.thekitchn.com/beautiful-beans-15-delicious-r-142106 Just a website I found.
    Here is something I enjoy that is great for summer weather.
    Cornbread salad is what it's called. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cornbread-salad-i/
    I just leave out the bacon and use make up the ranch dip mix with light mayo and/or light sour cream. Of course you don't want the beans or anything else to be warm putting it all together. It can be made the night before and stick it in the fridge.
  • dgkt
    dgkt Posts: 57 Member
    I'm vegetarian, beans are my life!! Hahaha. I like making white bean & kale ragout (knead for food has a great recipe on his blog) or black beans with saffron rice & peppers. I tend to cook a huge amount on the weekend so meal prep during the week is easy.

    Beans are pretty versital, I've seen recipes for brownies even. Vegweb.com has a ton of recipies.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    I put beans in my salads sometimes. And I will use them in breakfast burritoes, in place of bacon or sausage. And I will do vegetarian chili and use 3 different types of beans instead of meat (usually kidney, black and chickpea).
  • baileyang33
    baileyang33 Posts: 131 Member
    I love black beans personally! Pinterest has lots of recipes. I make most of my beans in a crockpot & I use bagged ones too, super cheap & low sodium! Good luck! I'm making stuffed peppers tomorrow,but with black beans instead of rice!
  • _101010_
    _101010_ Posts: 121
    It is recommended to have at least two servings of legumes per week. Your stomach will gradually adjust to the extra fiber so start small!
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Yes, I've been using this cookbook for the past year and every recipe I've tried so far has been delicious and easy to prepare:

    http://www.amazon.ca/Spilling-Beans-Cooking-Baking-Everyday/dp/1770500413

    I hope it's something you can use. I can't recommend the book enough.
    I especially like the shepherds pie with lentils, topped with beany mashed potatoes. Delicious and filling.

    When you enter the recipes into MFP's recipe file, a portion can be high in calories but the meals really fill you up and a little goes a long way.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    I put beans in my salads sometimes. And I will use them in breakfast burritoes, in place of bacon or sausage. And I will do vegetarian chili and use 3 different types of beans instead of meat (usually kidney, black and chickpea).

    I put them in my salad, too; kidney beans are a favorite.
  • morethenjustmum
    morethenjustmum Posts: 170 Member
    My most recent bean favorite is so easy and awesome
    2 cups white kidney beans or,other light colour( could,use any colour really, but white makes it pop)
    roasted red pepper strips , to taste
    artichoke hearts , to taste
    pesto, reg or other

    chop stuff as big or small as you want, add a little pesto or a lot, serve it warm or cold. Mostly the amounts are a matter or taste . The recipe is super versatile

    eta: you can serve it on its own on on lettuce, add it to rice, quinoa, cous cous, even pasta.
  • nitadances
    nitadances Posts: 16 Member
    Great suggestions, everyone - thanks!
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  • AtticWindow
    AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
    I make black bean burgers or a bean loaf every couple of weeks in my house; I use canned beans, but I'm sure it's easy to adapt dried beans once they're soaked and usable, etc.

    It's essentially the same process for either the burgers or the loaf - I just treat the beans like they're ground beef, and mash them up with a fork. Mix in spices, any chopped veggies you like, and an egg. For the burgers, to help them form patties, you should add flour, bread crumbs, or similar; I also like grinding up sunflower seeds and using those in lieu of bread crumbs. Prepare either dish like you would their meaty counterparts :smile:
  • dgkt
    dgkt Posts: 57 Member
    The bean loaf sounds yummy!
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I soak dried beans with a fair amount of dried rosemary and a couple of cloves of unpeeled garlic, then cook them that way. They come out garlicky and yummy and you can add them to anything (salads, pasta, eggs etc). Loads of flavor without the fat and convenient (I keep a bowl of them in the fridge).
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    In a wrap or tortilla with whatever veggies and condiments you like.

    Mild flavored beans (white beans, garbanzo, red lentils) can be incorporated into mashed potatoes.
  • ValeriePlz
    ValeriePlz Posts: 517 Member
    Indian cooking has many fantastic uses for beans. I use the Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook by Anupy Singla (and Vegan Indian Cooking, also by Anupy Singla) because it shows you how to cook Indian dishes from dried legumes in the slow cooker. Her blend of spices is really authentic, too, and is the closest I have gotten to restaurant-quality Indian food at home.

    I also use beans in salads, as others have said - I do a black-eyed pea salad with roasted red peppers, onions, and jalapenos with a vinaigrette. It's crunchy and wonderful!

    Also you can make veggie tacos and add beans. I have done beans in tacos with corn, spaghetti squash, peppers, butternut squash, and many other veggies.
  • LB2812
    LB2812 Posts: 158 Member
    You could make hummus! (preferably with chickpeas, but you could use white beans or any other bean for that matter).
    Veggie Chili
    Pasta or Regular salad with beans
    Burgers - black bean burgers in particular are really good, but there's a ton of different bean based burger recipes out there
    Ratatoiulle and add beans to it!
    any rice/bean/vegetable combo really....
    tacos/burritos/nachos/enchiladas.... refried, pinto, or black beans all work well in any of these dishes!
  • Braincatcher
    Braincatcher Posts: 66 Member
    Check out my favorite cookbook, The Passionate Vegetarian. She has a whole section on beans. I also love my chickpea salad--2 cups cooked, half-mashed chickpeas (or one can, no salt added), one small chopped red onion, 2 or 3 ribs chopped celery, Mrs. Dash lemon-pepper seasoning, and enough vegenaise (or yogurt, if you like dairy) to hold it together. Horseradish mustard is good in it too. Eat on a pita or by itself.
  • nitadances
    nitadances Posts: 16 Member
    Thats a good idea...I'll try soaking them that way next time! I'll also see if my library has any of those cook books, or get them on inter library loan if I can :)
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    I am soaking chickpeas right now... I am going to cook them tonight.

    I am still working on perfecting my bean cooking. The last batch of black beans I did are yummy.... but the red kidney beans - some are all mushy and others seem a bit undercooked.

    I LOVE this recipe:
    http://www.redbookmag.com/recipefinder/bbq-chipotle-bean-salad

    I cook big batches of beans and then freeze them. Instead of putting meat in some of my casseroles, I toss in some beans instead.
  • AtticWindow
    AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
    The bean loaf sounds yummy!

    It is! I've also made it with lentils, but I'm partial to black beans. I top the loaf with a ketchup and brown sugar glaze, and it comes out with a lot of flavors similar to real meatloaf; obviously it doesn't replace the meat, but it's a good substitute for those looking to cut down on or cut out meat without losing some of their favorite comfort food dishes.

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