Two of my goals of the new year were to learn how to make yogurt and to cook with dried beans. I’m 2 for 4 on the yogurt front, so I’m not quite ready to spill on that one yet. But I am ready to spill the beans!
They’re easy. They’re cheap. They’re yummy. I did read through this book (a new year’s gift to myself) to prepare, but it’s just really not that complicated.
Do this:
-buy beans. So far I’ve done garbanzo and cannellini – I’ve steered away from kidney because of this weird toxin thing. Black beans are up next.
-rinse them and then soak them in water. I do this right in my crock pot pot. 6-8 hours works well.
-rinse them again and put them back in the pot with fresh water. Be sure the water covers them and then some (an inch).
-cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. 8 hours and mine were a bit mushy.
-eat them! cook with them! freeze them!
It worked best for me to soak them during the day and then cook them over night. In the morning, I put them in containers and into the fridge or freezer.
Here’s what I’ve made so far: Bean dip with cannellini beans, olive oil, and yummy seasoning. Cannellini bean soup with rosemary and homemade chicken broth (add spinach). Yum. I also make this recipe (lemon cream pasta with cannellini beans and arugula) about once a week. It’s a family favorite (and Ina Garten’s one of my favorites:). I roasted a bunch of the garbanzo beans and my kids think they’re an awesome snack. I also cooked the garbanzos with a jar of masala sauce from Trader Joe’s–easy and delish. Bottom line – it’s just nice to have beans handy. You can throw them on salads, in with pasta, or eat them on their own. And the fresh beans taste so much better than the canned ones.
On the difficulty scale, I would give this about a 1, especially with the crock pot. This is a no-brainer switch from cans and processed food to bulk-bin living with no processing. And, your grocery bill feel a bit leaner too. If I can swing it, you can too!
thewashbox 