A few months ago I discovered a 25 lb bag of pinto beans for only $12, at Costco. I have been obsessed with that bag of beans ever since, but haven’t allowed myself to actually purchase it. I decided I need to learn to use beans before I can own that many of them. Up until the bean obsession took over I had no idea how to even cook beans. I usually have “pork n beans” in my pantry that I mix with ground beef—and some other stuff—to make Beans n Meat; which by the way happened to be my ultimate favorite meal as a kid (and my own kids love it too). I also have canned chili (with beans) that I usually serve on top of Kraft Mac n Cheese, as well as canned black beans that I mix with ground beef for Taco Salad. The funniest part is that I have ALWAYS had dry beans on hand…just never for eating. I keep thinking I will cook them some day; and they keep sitting there, winking at me…and then I end up making bean bags out of them (but I always buy more…I know, weird).
So, in order for me to buy the hypnotic bag of beans I need to first figure out how to incorporate dry beans into my regular menu.
Thus my journey begins…
Thus my journey begins…
I’ve done some searching for uses and recipes over the last few weeks, but I’ve only started experimenting this week.
Here’s an overview of what I’ve learned:
Beans are super good for you; they are full of nutrients, fiber and protein, and they are low in fat and salt.
Yesterday I actually came across an article that gave me permission to put beans in my wheat grinder and make flour! I could hardly contain my excitement. I LOVE flour. In that same article I learned that you can substitute up to ¼ the amount of regular flour with bean flour, in a recipe. You can also add a few tablespoons to any dry mix to make it healthier. It’s great as a thickener for gravy or sauce, or you can just add water and cook for 3 minutes to make a quick and creamy soup; add pasta, veggies, extra beans, etc to make a quick meal out of it.
Another way to use beans is to cook them, and then puree them to use as a fat substitute in recipes. I’m sure you’ve heard of using pumpkin or applesauce in recipes. Well, beans can do the same thing! It reduces the fat, and also makes a more moist and fluffy result in brownies and muffins (don’t add too much, though, it will turn crumbly).
And of course there is the traditional use for beans, where you cook them and add them directly to the recipe. It’s best to soak before cooking to reduce the cook time. There’s an overnight soak method, and then a quick soak method where you boil for 3 minutes and then let soak for 1 hour.
As I have merely begun this bean-ish adventure I have only a few bits of wisdom to share; I’ll add recipes and tips as I figure them out.
Here’s what I’ve tried thus far:
These were amazing. We LOVED them. But I am one who loves soft cakelike brownies, and that’s how they turned out. I haven’t been able to figure out how to get a moist brownie without a crispy top layer, until now. These were so soft….magical even. Littlest--who recently turned 3--casually ate 6 of them in one afternoon. He was too cute to be stopped.
These were good too. I’m used to the texture of beans from a can, and the freshly cooked beans were more firm than I had hoped for or expected. I haven’t decided yet how firm they are actually supposed to be. I actually reread the recipe and noticed there is a little foot note that says to “reconstitute before using”, so I’ll keep working on that. The recipe was originally for just the beans, but I added chicken to it to make a whole meal. Definitely a keeper.
I served this with the BBQ beans. I have made it previously and the original recipe is fabulous! This time I tried adding bean flour to the recipe. Something went wrong, and it was a disaster. I don’t know if it was the bean flour, or because the butter didn’t blend properly before I poured it in the baking dish. I’ll have to try it again and see what happens.
Today I was in a hurry but really wanted to try these muffins. I distractedly rushed through the recipe and didn’t take time to figure out how I wanted to do it. They turned out really yummy, but I think they could be better. They weren’t quite as moist or fluffy as I had hoped, and all the blueberries sank to the bottom. I also used half wheat flour, which I love to do, but I think they’d be fluffier with all white. Adding it to my collection; gonna try it again.
That’s all for now. I’ll add more recipes and tips as I go along.
Until then, Happy Bean-ing!
Recipes from this article:
No comments:
Post a Comment