Loaded with fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins, legumes/beans are the perfect way to add more plant-based protein into your diet. Dried beans are an ideal food to stock in the pantry. Old beans, ones that have been sitting in your cupboard for 1 to 2 years, can lose their nutrient content and they will not soften, even with thorough cooking.
Cooking beans twice, or adding apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, garlic, fennel, a piece of kombu (dried seaweed), or cumin during cooking can aid digestion. Making beans from scratch tastes so much better than any pre-packaged version! It really is worth that little effort. Soak and cook a couple different ones at the same time, so that they’re convenient and ready to use for any recipe throughout the week.
2 cups of beans of choice
(Adzuki / Black / Borlotti / Cannellini / Chickpeas /
Navy / Pinto / Red Kidney/or any heirloom variety)
+
1 tablespoon baking soda or 2” piece of kombu
NOTE: Lentils (yellow, red, green, puy / French) don’t need to be soaked before cooking
METHOD
Rinse the beans, discarding any broken or discolored ones. Soak them in a bowl with plenty of water and baking soda or kombu for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Drain and rinse well, place the different beans in a large pot, filling it with enough water to cover the beans by one-inch. Bring to a boil, scoop out all the frothy foam that rises to the surface for about 10 minutes, or until clear. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes until fork tender. Drain and let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator. Use within 10 days in salad, as a hummus, in a chili, tacos, and even in baked goods (recipe coming soon)! Or freeze them in batches for future use. Here are some more recipes...
WHITE BEAN SALAD
(Serves 2)
1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat navy beans
3 tablespoons freshly cut herbs or leafy greens
1/4 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chili flakes
Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl. This salad can be served at warm or cold.
SMOKY BAKED BEANS
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup water
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat navy beans
1-3 teaspoons maple syrup, to taste
In a small stockpot on medium heat, add the molasses, water, onion, garlic, tomato paste, paprika, soy sauce and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and let it cook for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for another few minutes to warm through. Add the syrup to taste and enjoy!