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Simple Basic Bean Recipe: Cooking Beans
Savvy Vegetarian: How To Cook And Eat Beans Without Gas
Beans are blamed for gas, but if they're cooked properly, not over-eaten, and you take the time to let your digestion adjust, beans really don't cause more gas than any other high fiber food.
Beans are brooms, which sweep debris out of the intestines and the colon. That process will create gas. Taking a good probiotic is one way to ease the transiton to a clean digestive system. More About Beans & Ggas.
Beans and lentils can also be sprouted, giving you a valuable source of fresh vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, especially great in winter. Sprouting also boosts protein and reduces carbs. Sprouted beans can be added to stir fries, salads, soups, or juiced, or eaten raw right out of the sprouter!
Beans are at their digestible best with other foods, in soups, or mashed and spiced as in refried beans. Indian vegetarian cookbooks have fantastic bean recipes - India has been cooking beans for thousands of years. All those spices they use are essential for good bean digestion, and of course, taste fantastic!
This recipe is for pinto beans, one of the easiest beans to cook, very tasty and versatile, with a creamy texture. But you can substitute garbanzo beans, black beans, black eyed peas, kidney beans - any kind of beans.
Once you know how to cook and eat pinto beans, all other beans will easily be conquered. The basic method is exactly the same. If you don't like one kind of bean, just skip those and try some of the many other kinds of beans. Amazingly, beans all taste and act very differently. Or try lentils, especialy the Indian lentils, like mung dhal - they have a shorter soaking & cooking time.
Helpful Bean Cooking Hints
- Keep in mind that the soaking and cooking time will vary for each kind of bean
- They've had enough soaking when they've doubled in size and have no wrinkles
- They've cooked long enough when they're completely soft
- Slow cooking is an excellent way to cook beans, but be sure to boil them & skim the foam before putting in the slow cooker or crockpot
- Same goes for pressure cooking. If you do use a pressure cooker, consult a bean cooking chart for cooking times
Bean Cooking Directions*
- 4 - 6 servings
- 1 c. dried pinto bean (or any other bean)
- Sort and clean the dried beans
- Soak the beans in boiling water for 1 - 2 hours, or 6 - 12 hours in cold water, until they're doubled in size and wrinkle free - soaking time varies with the bean
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans
- Place in medium saucepan, cover with cold unsalted water
- Bring to boil uncovered, boil for ten minutes. Skim the foam off the beans with a ladle or large flat spoon
- Cover and simmer the beans for 1 - 2 hours
- OR cook 8 minutes at high pressure in a pressure cooker
- Slow cooker or crockpot: Add the beans, cover and turn the heat to low. Cooking time will vary with the bean, but six hours in the crockpot on low is about right for pinto beans
Note: It's always worthwhile to double the bean recipe, and freeze in small containers or freezer bags for future vegetarian or vegan bean recipes.
