Recipes

[IamMrsG]

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suzieq4 wrote, in part:  "I was raised on pinto beans.  My Mom would soak them for hours before she cooked them.  She would throw in a big ham hock, or some bacon, or a big chunk of salt pork.  Sometimes we would have those beans and some cornbread as the entire meal!!  Times were tough back then!   That was her only way of feeding a family of 7..."

@123SuzyQ123  Tough times or not, this is a delicious meal!  I require a raw onion to eat alongside, though.  

[BaileyBop]

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@PINKdogWOOD wrote:

a fab new cole slaw recipe that was killer and had garbonzo beans on the side

I am a cole slaw lover, any chance of you posting the recipe?

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[123SuzyQ123]

@IamMrsG, Iam, yes!  You are right!  We would have onion with the meal sometimes too! 

[Zhills]

Here are some bean tips that I have found useful....

Practice moderation. For the bean newbies, try eating them in small amounts to give your body time to adjust, and then increase your consumption.

For some of us, though, beans will always be a tricky beast, but that doesn't mean we need to stop eating them! We can reap the benefits from even a quarter or a third of a cup. So instead of hoovering two heaping bowls of black bean chili, go for a half cup serving – and pack your plate with plenty of veggie goodness, too.

The Basic Idea

Here’s the no-nonsense overview. Read below for details with pictures.
1.Sort out the bad beans (photos below)
2.Soak the beans overnight or 8+ hours
3.Resist the urge to stir a lot
4.Pour off soaking water, add fresh water
5.Season by adding with fresh vegetables, like a carrot, ½ an onion, some rosemary, celery.
6.Do not salt.
7.Cook for an hour or more until tender.
8.If desired, salt to taste after they can be easily smashed between two fingers.
9.Remove the seasoning vegetables.

Veggies and spices that add great flavor:
◾carrots, put the whole thing in
◾garlic
◾onion
◾jalapeños
◾celery - this is a great way to use the tops of celery
◾cumin - found in the spice aisle
◾bay leaves
◾parsley
◾rosemary

Try sticking with the easiest bean varieties to digest such as: black-eyed peas, adzuki, anasazi, lentils and mung beans (general rule of thumb is the sweeter the bean, the easier to digest though sweetness is a relative thing!). The most difficult beans to digest are lima beans, navy beans and soybeans.

Being a Southerner, we always season with ham, ham hock, bacon or smoked turkey parts.  Enjoy!

P.S.  Do not combine with other gaseous foods!  Try beans & carrots instead of baked beans and cole slaw or corn on the cob!

[Winkk]

Thanks everyone, I certainly learned a lot today.  I appreciate the information.

[Annabellethecat66]

Unfortunately I can't eat beans right now.  I just had an attack of Diverticulitis.  Was in the hospital for 5 days.

Dr says to not eat any roughage (specifically beans because of the shells) for about 5 weeks.

My favorite food is pasta ******iole from Olive Garden (get Top Secret Recipes) tastes just like Olive Garden.

Anyway, it is a good idea to soak beans overnight.  It makes cooking them easy.

Navy Bean soup is especially wonderful too,,,,,I could go on, but I won't.

[RespectLife]

Hi @Winkk

I hear ya on the Limas!  I don't care for any of the larger size beans that have a lot of 'stuff' inside.

I buy canned beans for almost everything except bean soup...then I use the dried.

Goya Black Beans are quite small.  I also can find SMALL red kidney beans and SMALL white canneloni (sp?) beans.  I use these in salads, stir fry, casseroles, main dishes, soups...everything!

Black beans are my favorite...Trader Joe also has a good quality canned black bean.

I love Garbanzo (chick peas)...they don't even seem like a bean to me since the inside is firm!  LOL  They are actually delicious in soups...hold their shape and firmness.

I just made a Garbanzo Bean salad that had fresh mango & fresh pineapple, the chick peas, pico de gallo and pineapple salsa! (herbs as well)

It was different and delicious!  Got lots of compliments on it!

[MadameQueen]

I am trying to eat more beans as well as vegetables.  I like escarole with cannellini beans or garbanzos with baby spinach.  Both with a little oil and garlic.  I put black beans in m quesadilla.  I want to try making black beans soup and black bean burgers one of these days.  I have also been making a white chili - chicken and cannellini beans that I got from McCormick's web site.  

[beckyb1012]

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@MadameQueen wrote:

I am trying to eat more beans as well as vegetables.  I like escarole with cannellini beans or garbanzos with baby spinach.  Both with a little oil and garlic.  I put black beans in m quesadilla.  I want to try making black beans soup and black bean burgers one of these days.  I have also been making a white chili - chicken and cannellini beans that I got from McCormick's web site.  

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Love that McCormick site and Bush's Bean web site has great recipes as well.

I so love to eat refried beans mixed with salsa, cheese and onion.  Alone or with chips or tortillas.

[scotnovel]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

Soaking beans, whether overnight in cold water or for an hour in water brought to a boil, serves two purposes:  It shortens the cooking time and removes some of their gaseousness.  The new school of thought is that it also reduces flavor.

If you use dried beans, you must understand they are dirty and the bag can contain small rocks.  The beans must be picked over before using.  I have found it is easiest to pour a bag onto a cookie sheet and rake them a few at a time into a bowl, looking for rocks.  

If you choose to soak the beans, do not use the soaking water.  Instead, drain and rinse them before using. Again, dry beans are dirty.  

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You CAN use the soaking water as long as you have rinsed the beans a few times thoroughly allowing that rinsing water to drain and then covering with fresh water to soak.  I put my dried beans in a collander, rinse them and sort through while they are wet because the wetness makes it much easier to see the little stones or beans that you want to discard.  When I am satisfied, I rinse them a last time, let drain and then cover with the soaking water that they then can be cooked in.