Beans, also known as legumes, come in a multitude of shapes, color and sizes and are a good source of protein. With over 13,000 diverse varieties worldwide, there is no shortage of trying something new. Although they take a while to prepare, they taste their best when cooked slowly. One way to achieve this without too much fuss is to prepare in a slow cooker. This is a good alternative to eat healthy especially during the workweek for most people.
If not using a slow cooker, then the beans will have to be soaked prior to cooking. The long method requires soaking overnight, which is about 8-10 hours. The other alternative is the short method where you place the beans in a pot of hot water and bring to a rapid boil for a couple of minutes and then place aside for about an hour before preceding to cook. If really pressed for time, eat canned beans, which are just as nutritious.
Diverse Ways of Serving Beans
Tasty beans can be used in so many ways such as a bean sauce. To achieve this, take beans that have been slow-cooked, or use a 15-ounce can of your choice, using this simple recipe.
Bean Sauce
- 2 cups of beans in their own sauce
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Using an immersion blender, puree the beans in a saucepan until it comes together to form a thick, smooth consistency. This can also be done by using a regular blender, by pouring the bean mixture in a blender and processing until it becomes smooth.
- Bring the bean sauce to a low simmer and cook for about five minutes.
- Season the bean sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice.
An economical way of serving an appetizer for entertaining is to make a flavorful white bean spread. This recipe has an Italian appeal to it using jarred pesto sauce.
White Bean Spread
- 15 ounce can of white cannelli beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 1/2 cup of of cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon of jarred pesto
- 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Season the bean spread with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve this appealing bean spread with warm, crusty French bread.
Another dimension to making a great tasting chili is to use a blend in a recipe. Try using a combination of red kidney, black and white beans for contrast. Try this same method of adding colorful beans in a vegetarian soup, using lentils.
Lentils, are small flat like discs which come in an assortment of colors and are well known in parts of Asia. The advantage of using lentils is that because of their small size, they cook more quickly than traditional beans. This bean is commonly used in soups. Depending on the size of the lentil, cooking time can vary from 10-15 minutes to 1 hour. This is a real time saver for most folks.
Using beans to create meals can be delicious and nutritious anytime of the week.
References: Mothernature.com
Vanessa LaBranche - Vanessa is a culinary graduate from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is passionate about baking and ...
