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Make-Your-Own Beans..Salt Free

Source of Recipe

From the Readers Digest Commonsense Guide to Living longer


Recipe Introduction

For quite a long time, I have not posted many bean recipes because they used canned beans and the sodium levels were way too HIGH. I will now begin to post some of them with the guidelines below to making your own beans w/o salt.

List of Ingredients

CANNED BEANS….AN EXCESSIVE SOURCE OF SODIUM

If you are on a low-sodium diet recipes using canned beans are almost out of the question. Even with draining and rinsing they are loaded with SALT.

If you like the protein, fiber and flavors you get from beans, why not cook them yourself and eliminate the salt. It’s not as hard as it seems.

Here are a list of the most common beans and their cooking times. BEANS or Legumes can also be FROZEN. Just package them in the amounts needed for your next recipe.



Recipe

GUIDE TO BEANS
From the Readers Digest Commonsense Guide to Living longer

Beans or legumes are excellent sources of vegetable protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc.
They are also high in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the incidence of certain cancer.

Most dried legumes (Beans), except lentils and split peas, must be soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours before cooking. The water re-hydrates them, ensures uniform texture and reduced cooking time. It also absorbs some of the indigestible complex sugars in beans that cause gas. Since the soaking water contains these sugars, be sure to discard and drain and rinse the beans.

There are 2 soaking methods; for either one, you should sort and rinse the beans first.

LONG-SOAK METHOD: Place the beans in a large bowl and fill with enough water to cover vy 2 inches. Soak for 4 to 8 hours.

QUICK SOAK METHOD: Place the beans in a large sauce pan and fill with enough water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 1 hour.


THE COOKING TIMES GIVEN HERE are for the SOAKED BEANS and are averages …….Freshly dried beans may cook more quickly; older ones may take a little longer. DO NOT ADD SALT (if desired) until after the beans are cooked.


>>CHICK PEAS (garbanzo beans)…ar ancient legumes that date back 7,000 B.C. They have a warm nutty flavor and figure in many cuisines. One cup cooked has 15 gm of protein, 6 gm fiber and 269 calories. A popular spread is the Middle Eastern puree of chick peas called hummas.

COOK: 1 c. peas in 3 c. cold water. TIME: Simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. YIELD: 2-1/2 cups


>>COW PEAS (Field Peas, Crowder peas). Are grown in many gardens of the south, where they are often served as a side dish

COOK: 1 c. peas in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 1 hour. YIELD: 3 cups


>>BLACK BEANS (Black Turtle Beans) are perhaps the best known as the main ingredient in black turtle bean soup. their hearty flavor compliments rice, fish and vegetables. One cup cooked has 15 gms of protein, 7 gm fiber and 91 mg of magnesium.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water. TIME: Simmer, covered for 1 hour. YIELD: 2-1/2 cups


>>GREAT NORTHERN WHITE BEANS cook up quickly. Their mild flavor makes them versatile enough to be used in a number or recipes. They are known primarily as an ingredient in French cassoulet (a casserole of beans and various meats) and in the American ham and bean soup.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. YIELD: 2-2/3 cups


>>BLACK EYED PEAS… A favorite of the South, they have a smooth texture and rich flavor. Of all the beans listed here it is the HIGHEST in fiber (!6 gm per cup of cooked peas) and the lowest in calories (1 cup has only 179 calories).

COOK: 1 c. peas in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 1-to 1-1/2 hours YIELD: 3 cups


>>LIMA BEANS (butter beans) were grown by American Indians between rows of corn so that the corn could act as stakes for the bean vines. This may be the orgin of succotash, a well-known dish of lima beans and corn.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water. TIME: Simmer, covered for 45 min to 1 hour YIELD: 2-1/2 cups


>>PINTO BEANS (the word pinto means ‘painted’ in Spanish) are favorites where they are used in chilies and stews. Pintos are good sources of protein, magnesium and iron.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered, for 45 min. to 1 hour YIELD: 2-1/2 c.


>>NAVY BEANS (Boston Beans. Pea Beans) were grown by the Pilgrims who learned of them from the Indians. Because religious observances kept the Pilgrims from cooking on the Sabbath, a pot of navy beans was baked the night before. The famous Boston Baked Beans emerged from this tradition.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered, for 1 to 1-/12 hours YIELD: 3 c.


>>RED KIDNEY BEANS are preferred in chili con carns recipes because of their mild flavor and firm texture. They also go well in salads. One cup cooked has 15 gm protein and 6 gm fiber.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered, for 45 min to 1-1/4 hours. YIELD: 2-1/2 cups.

>>WHITE KIDNEY BEANS (Cannellini) are popular in soups, stews, salads and pasta. Their smooth, buttery flavor is enhanced by garlic and herbs. One cup cooked has 17 gm protein and 7 gm fiber and provided more than half the recommended daily allowance of iron for adults

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 45 min to 1-1/4 hours YIELD: 2-1/2 cups.


>>PINK BEANS, as well a pinto beans are the bean of choice for refried beans. They are milder in taste than kidney beans. All beans are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates with ‘pink beans’ leading the pack. One cup cooked has 47 gm carbohydrate. They are also high in folacin and magnesium.

COOK: 1 c. beans in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 45 min to 1-1/4 hours YIELD: 2-1/2 cups


>>PIGEON PEAS have a pleasant roasted flavor that goes well with rice, making it a favorite in Latin and Indian cuisine. One cup cooked has 11 gh of protein and 8 gm fiber.

COOK: 1 c. peas in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer covered for 45 min to 1-1/4 hours. YIELD: 2-1/2 c.


THE FOLLOWING DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRE-SOAKED:

>>SPLIT GREEN PEAS are favorites for soups and purees. One cup cooked jas 16 gm protein and 11 gm fiber. Because they tend to foam when they cook, use a large pot. Split yellow peas cook in the same amount of time as the green and yield the same amount.

COOK: 1 c, peas in 4 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 30 minutes YIELD: 2 cups


>>LENTILS high in protein and folacin (a B vitamin), are one of the oldest known legumes and even figure in the Bible. In Genesis, Esau sold his birthright for a pot of lentils. There are several varieties. The cooking time below is for the brown (most commonly available) type. Red lentils, which can be cooked in 10-15 minutes are often used for purees; Green lentils must cook 20-25 minutes.

COOK: 1 c. (brown) lentils in 3 c. cold water TIME: Simmer, covered for 20-25 min. YIELD: 3 cups