What do I do with different beans??

[ParkersMama]

Okay, we are trying to cut costs and increase our healthy quotient here, and I am trying to ease us on overto a more vegetarian lifestyle. So, I have all these different types of beans and I don't know what to do with them!! I have frozen field peas, but all I know to do with them is heat and serve ... not too appetizing. Also I have Great Northerns, and canellis, as well as ones I have somewhat of a clue on: black beans, kidney, pinto, garbanzo ... but I do still have others that I can't even name!!

Do you ladies mix up your beans, are there any good recipes for these less well known ones? I need to make a good impression if I expect him to go for this . HELP!!!

[member]

Do you like chili? I love to cook up a huge pot of beans (at least 3 different kinds) and then add tomatoes, spices, maybe some soy meat for a really hearty chili.

"Refried" beans are also good - I cook a pot of pintos and then puree them with my hand blender.

[cathe]

I use lots and lots of beans - I have lots of kid friendly bean recipes in my book Simply Natural BAby Food. I'll name a few and if something catches your interest, let me know and I'll post it.

Bean Spread - made with pinto beans(good for burritos, quesadillas, etc.) Have a recipes for Bean and Cheese Pizza using it
White Bean and Corn Chowder (non-dairy and scrumptions)
Lentil Stew/Lentil Bars
Minestrone Soup (uses adzuki beans but any bean will do)
Hummus (garbanzo beans)
Quick Franks and Beans (I use Tofu Pups) - uses white beans

Other uses for beans: soups, stews, salads, burritos, beans and rice mixed with a little grated cheese, chili, add to spagetti sauce instead of meat.

[PapayaVagina]

White bean and corn chowder please!

[cathe]

Good choice - this is our favorite soup and kids really love it too!

White Bean and Corn Chowder (vegan)

1/2 medium onion, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 medium red or white new potatoes, diced
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Sea Veg Mix (page 56) or pinch kelp
3 3/4 cup cooked white beans (see note below)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon miso

In large soup pot, sauté onions in oil until soft. Stir in garlic, carrots, and potatoes. Sauté 5 minutes. Add water, bay leaf, and sea vegetables. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Add beans with liquid, corn, salt, and black pepper. Simmer 5 minutes, or until all ingredients are heated through. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley, nutritional yeast flakes, and miso.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Note: Use 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, or cook your own as follows.


Cooking White Beans

Soak 1 1/2 cup beans in 4 cups water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain. Put beans into heavy pot with 4 1/2 cups water and 1 strip kombu. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer one hour, or until beans are tender.

Yield: About 3 3/4 cups

[Marlena]

Yes: make black beans (served with rice) out of the black beans: in a heavy bottomed pot, fry up some sliced bacon (if you're a carnivore) and some chopped onion and garlic, along with a tablespoon or two of cumin and/or Mexican oregano and/or hot ground pepper. Add rinsed black beans and water or stock. Simmer until beans are tender. Add a tablespoon or two of Madeira and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

Tuscan white bean soup is wonderful with cannellis, as is ribollata. Do a web search on Epicurious or another similar site (www.epicurious.com).

[Marlena]

Pintos, by the by, make great refried beans and cowboy-style beans. There are some wonderful recipes out there for Indian curries using garbanzo beans (also called channa dal, I think, and chickpeas, if you want to do a search for recipes). Hummus is also pretty tasty with garbanzos.