BEANS
101 Presentation
I have a friend who said a bowl of beans and a chunk of
bread is all a person needs to be healthy.
Perhaps many of you don’t agree with that statement simply because you
think beans take too long to cook, don’t know how to use beans in your daily
diet or think beans taste bad. Are you
really going to be intimidated by this little guy? I think not!
So let’s debunk each of those excuses to using this great protein source
in your diet.
·
I
love black and pinto beans for use everywhere.
White beans in soups since I’m not a fan of their flavor alone. Kidney beans are my favorite for salads. (See
guide at back and spice lists.)
·
24
hours in a crockpot on high does the trick.
No soaking overnight, no gas when you eat them, ready to eat, freeze or
put in recipes.
·
This
guide shows a 1 cup beans to 3 cup water ratio.
I measure 1/3 crockpot with beans, 2/3 with water. Using lots of water will curtail gas after
eating. I also add water every time I
pass. I read online not to use the same
water they cooked in later since it has the beans’ starch in it, but I have
without issue.
·
I
freeze the beans, juice and all, once cooked and they last up to 6 months. They last unfrozen in the fridge about 4
days, then go rancid and sour. The juice
seems to sour first, so I have saved beans by rinsing them off if they smell
odd. My kids can do all these recipes
since you grab cans/frozen box and dump it in.
I use them for a variety of meals including:
·
quesadillas
w/ beans (butter, flour tortillas,, cheese all over, beans on half)
·
tostadas
(deep fried corn tortillas, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes)
·
burritos
(flour tortillas, beans, cheese)
·
tacos
with beans instead of meat (crisp/soft tortillas, lettuce, beans, cheese)
·
taco
salad (chips, salad, tomatoes, cheese, beans, sour cream/Ranch)
·
baked
beans (beans, bacon, sauce, brown sugar; see recipes attached)
·
chili
(turkey, beef, meatless, white or tomato, etc)
·
beans
and rice (broth or butter, seasonings, leftover rice, beans)
·
beans
and pasta (broth/butter, beans, leftover pasta, seasonings)
·
ham
and bean soup (hock/ham, beans, seasons, milk)
·
refried
beans better than any canned (beans, seasonings, onion, milk)
·
Bean
dip (thinned out refried beans and add cheese or salsa)
·
Puree
and/or mash beans for use in meatloaf, soups, chowders, stews, in casseroles with
canned soup. This adds protein and gets
your family used to the taste and texture of beans if you don’t currently use
them much.
·
Substitute
for shortening—quick breads are more moist, stay together better. Need to back off the flour or increase liquid
since beans absorb moisture. It made no difference in pancakes/waffles, but
did in banana bread or scones.
