I plan to cook more with dried beans this year rather than canned. I'll keep canned on hand for use in a pinch, but as I work towards both a healthier me and a healthier bank account, dry beans can be a good support to both. This works for me as I like beans, and if I did not, well, I would look for alternatives. My daughter and son almost exclusively use dried beans, cooking up entire bags, then freezing in portions for future use. My son needs a lot of calories, as he is naturally lean, plus works out a lot-particularly with not being able to work as regularly, he gets bored, and working out helps with has mental health. His portions are bigger than my daughters, and hers should be bigger than mine as she does not do any animal products for other protein. She also works out daily, real work outs, so burns these vegetable proteins efficiently.
According to this Web-MD post,, beans are full of fiber and protein, are great for helping to maintain a healthy weight, and have heart health benefits. What's better than a trifecta! They are also versatile in cooking, and I have a few recipes that I'll be making over the next month-spread out enough to not get DH complaining, but also with leftovers that I can have for lunch.
Navy Bean Soup: Another no recipe recipe. I do the basic onion, carrot, celery sauté, add salt and pepper, a carton of veggie broth (or make with a stock cube), and five cups soaked beans. I brought to a boil, then simmered most of the broth out, then added a second carton, brought to a boil, and simmered until I like the texture of the beans.
Baked beans:very basic, but will be a nice side for DH with something like chicken drumsticks. Sluggy gave me a recipe once, and I can't find it. If memory serves, this one sounds very similar over at Frugal Trenches:Simple Baked Beans. my version was sort of this recipe, but I made vegan so avoided canned tomato soup, I didn't have molasses so used maple syrup (which worked well, but I used probably a quarter cup too much), and loads of mustard. I ended up dumping what I had left in a bottle of BBQ sauce, and since I didn't have enough brown sugar and OD'd on syrup, I used about h. So nto this recipe at all, but you get the gist. I also made the mistake of not cooking the beans first, so they took forever in the crock pot, a good 8 hours, but the time was worth it. DD2 and I both sampled a portion and I sent some with her. We'll have tonight with brats, and I froze another meal size portion, plus a recipe size portion. We'll likely have leftovers tonight as well.
White Bean pasta with mushrooms- I'm planning to use the recipe portion of the baked beans in a pasta dish. We'll see how it tastes, but here is a makeshift version from multiple googled searches on the internet. Toss pasta of choice (I have 1/2 box of farfalle to use up) with 1-1 1/2 cup beans or small can cannelloni beans, sautéed mushrooms and peppers, with olive oil and garlic. Mine will obviously have the baked bean flavors going through it, but I usually have a can of white beans in the pantry as well. Here's an actual recipe from The New Baguette.
I soaked my beans Monday overnight and cooked as I described above. I'm still too scared of my Instapot! I will tackle that this month at some point and see if it is the wonder that young mom's of seven rave about on YouTube, especially for a household of two. I did the whole two pound bag, but used about half in bean soup and the other have in a slightly smaller quantity of the baked bean recipe above.
Hawaii Plan's son has been a little chef in their kitchen and I want to try this Homemade French bread recipe. Doesn't it sound perfect with the bean soup of baked beans? A few slices broiled with garlic and butter for the pasta would be a treat as well. What's your thought on beans as part of your meals and pantry?
I am beginning to learn there is no 'recipe' for soup but whatever you throw in a pot and watch what happens and change it as you fancy. This is a sort of relief.
ReplyDeleteNope-no recipes, just bung it all in add liquid and seasoning to suit and you are good to go with soup! Of course if you are trying to recreate from a prior experience or a restaurant "mock" a recipe might help. I never worry about the same flavors.
Deletethis sounds quite sensible.
DeleteI've always liked beans and have several bags of dried here. I'm not as fond of split peas but I might try them again. I'd rather eat bean soup 3 days in a row than freeze though- they seem to mush up for me when thawed. Glad you're feeling good.
ReplyDeleteCall me weird, but I don't mind the mushy texture when I thaw!
DeleteI usually get Rancho Gordo beans and they are amazing. We do have other cheaper dry beans in the pantry, but the taste and nutritional value of Rancho is actually worth the price. They are so versatile. We probably have beans at least twice a week in one form or another.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of them, but worth a look it sounds like. Unless bean soup, chili, or with tacos/fajitas, we don't eat a lot of beans and should do more.
DeleteSounds like a healthy start to the New Year!
ReplyDeleteI like beans, and 15 bean soup in the instant pot is awesome. I love baked beans, so thanks for the recipes. Unfortunately my college kid doesn't like beans, although he will eat kidney beans in chili or black beans in taco soup etc. I think it is the texture? of pinto beans that he doesn't like. But I need to add more beans to our meals.
I can see how the texture might be off putting. I tis an acquired appreciation.
DeleteThey all sound delicious. I always have dried beans on hand, so much better than canned and such a good source of protein too. Overall I'm personally not a huge fan of beans but I do use them is soups and I use a lot of chick peas in Mediterranean dishes.
ReplyDeleteThyme tasted so good with the brats last night. It felt a bit like summer!
DeleteI use dry beans too. When I want to cook beans, I soak them in hot water at night and cook them in my pressure cooker the next day. This year, I am determined to consume more plant-based proteins.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am determined to learn how to use that darn Instapot!
DeleteI use beans when not doing keto, and do the whole bag cooking and freezing also. I actually have an empty can I use to measure the cooked beans so I will have neat little packs of "canned" beans for recipe.
ReplyDeleteNow I would think beans fit Keto. Interesting. I like the idea of measuring a cans worth.
DeleteI always liked beans, lentils, chickpeas - the lot - but my ex hated all of them. Now it's bliss to make them as and when I want. You might like Delia Smith's "salmon and black bean salsa" from her winter cook book. It always goes down well here!
ReplyDeleteYou lost me at Salmon! I love black bean salsa though-with corn!
DeleteWe don't eat a lot of beans, but I loved the ham & bean soup recipe we made. And, yes to trying the French bread. So easy, frugal & delicious.
ReplyDeleteI have yeast so no reason not to try the bread.
DeleteSince I got a crock pot years ago, I only cook beans in the crock pot. I have never put anything in beans except water. Surprisingly, Tommy is okay with that. Now that I have a freezer, I plan to cook a whole pound at a time and freeze portions. I love navy beans!
ReplyDeleteSo no flavorings?
DeleteBoston Baked Bean recipe here--https://simpleslug.blogspot.com/2009/03/boston-baked-beans-recipe.html
ReplyDeleteNever add a tomato product to beans until AFTER you have gotten the beans as soft as you like. There is a chemical reaction between tomatoes and beans that keeps the beans from softening further so that's no old wives tale. ;-)
The acidity in molasses also has that same reaction with beans too.
DeleteOf course I remember you telling me this now-after the 8 hours of cooking. Still, they tasted really good, but I will remember next time.
DeleteI do like beans, tho I have to limit them. I make humus most often, since I don't really like tahini much so I leave it out. Made from soaked and cooked dried chickpeas is best! Celie
ReplyDeleteJack Monroe once had a post on her web site about using peanut butter in place of tahini as a more pantry normal and inexpensive ingredients. I have yet to try in hummus, but may.
DeleteYou have inspired my, I just found a bag of frozen ham in the freezer, I am going to make some navy bean soup this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI have a bowl saved in the freezer, and one for my lunch tomorrow-I need to use up the last of my TJ opened tomato soup.
DeleteThe navy bean soup looks good.
ReplyDeleteI have some on hand I need to use.
Like a hug!!
DeleteI want to learn to cook with dried beans too. At the moment I use canned beans as they are just easy but dried beans would be less expensive. The soup looks good!.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how much was saved on homemade baked beans-cheaper or not after I added so many ingredient, but the taste sure is superior. The syrup was quite expensive, but I used way too much.
Delete