A gourmet is a person
who is knowledgeable in fine food and drink.
Beans, Beans and More Beans
Dry beans are among some of the healthiest foods
on the planet. Beans are not only a complex carbohydrate,
which provides sustained energy throughout the day,
but also have many important nutrients such as, calcium,
potassium, protein and folate. Plus, you get these
benefits without the fat and cholesterol that meat
or dairy products might contain. Many Americans do
not get the recommended daily fiber they need (25-30
grams a day) and beans are an excellent way to meet
these requirements. A cup of cooked black beans contains
8 grams of fiber and a cup of cooked pinto beans contains
12 grams.
One concern when cooking beans is the amount of time
they take to fully process. There are a few things
that can be done to help with this problem. The first
is soaking beans over night. Soaking overnight will
help the beans absorb moisture and shorten the time
needed to cook them. Another excellent idea is to
cook beans in the crock pot over night on low. In
the morning they are fully cooked and ready to use
or store. They can be rinsed, drained and stored up
to a week in the refrigerator or frozen for several
months. When cooking or soaking beans do not add salts
to the pot or bowl, as salt will prevent the beans
from fully cooking and will result in hard beans.
What do you do with your beans? There is no end to
the healthy, useful ways to use dry beans in your
everyday cooking and baking. The traditional and most
frequent use of beans is simply cooked and placed
in soups or chili's, mixed with rice or used as a
side dish. Although those are excellent ways to incorporate
beans into your diet there are many other ways as
well.
One of the best kept secrets about beans is their
ability to be ground into a fine flour. White beans
are recommended as the best choice for bean flour.
Bean flour can be substituted for 25% of flour in
any recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups
all purpose flour, 1/2 cup bean flour may be used.
For those whose families might not be receptive to
beans on the table this is a great way to sneak them
in. All the benefits of beans will be received in
every day items like cookies and bread and no one
will be the wiser. It is not recommended to tell them
either as this might influence their interest in the
items prepared. Bean flour can also be used to make
soups creamy without dairy. To make 4 cups of "cream"
soup simply heat 2 cups of water in a pan (do not
boil) and 4 tsp chicken bouillon (or bouillon of choice).
Combine 2 cups cold water with 1 cup bean flour and
whisk until there are no lumps. Combine this flour
paste with the heated water and bouillon and simmer
of low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. To
make a thinner soup use less bean flour. Spices, vegetables
or meat may be added to the soup base for a delicious
and nutritious creamy soup without the calories, fat
and dairy, plus this creamy soup has all the health
of beans. This recipe may also be substituted for
creamy condensed soups in casseroles or other dishes.
The other best kept secret is the use of pureed white
beans in place of shortening, butter or margarine
in baked goods. After the beans are cooked simply
drain and place in a food processor, blender or mash
with a fork to create a puree. It should be about
the consistency of the fat you are replacing and may
be substituted cup for cup or simply for half the
fat in the recipe. If the beans are too thick and/or
dry, just add a little water and stir in completely.
Many ask, "how does it taste" [in cookies, etc.] and
the answer is, you can't even tell! The foods are
delicious and nutritious!
Beans will be filling, satisfying and incorporate
many necessary nutrients into the diet. Combined with
rice they are a complete protein and provide all the
8 amino acids for the body. They are inexpensive and
packed full of flavor. It doesn't get much better
than beans.
About the Author:
Emma Snow is a gourmet and freelance writer. Writing
for Gourmet Living http://www.gourmet-living.com
and Organic Items http://www.organic-items.com
.
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