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ISBN: 978-1-64876-972-6 | eBook 978-1-64876-280-2
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To all the people striving to improve their health through dietary changes.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
BEAN BASICS
CHAPTER TWO
SNACKS AND SPREADS
CHAPTER THREE
SIDES AND SALADS
CHAPTER FOUR
SOUPS AND STEWS
CHAPTER FIVE
BEAN SUPPERS
CHAPTER SIX
STAPLES AND SWEETS
Whether you love beans or have a more nuanced relationship with them, there is no denying that theyre really good for your body. Cultivated for centuries, beans are one of the oldest plant crops farmed around the world, and they provide sustenance for millions of people every day. But if you didnt grow up loving them or if youve just been subjected to bland bean dishes, you might not hold them in such high esteem, and I can totally relate to that.
My journey with beans began as a child, when lima beans were a regular vegetable on the table. And I hated them. Over the years, my familys bean recipe repertoire grew to include falafel, dal, various bean soups and salads, and more, but I cant say that I really ever liked them until I went away to college and began missing many of those dishes my parents used to prepare at home. I slowly began to make them on my own as a way to feel closer to my family, and by the time I started my own family, my love for the humble legume had really begun to take shape.
Whether you follow a plant-based diet or are just looking to add more plant-based meals to your menu, beans are a wonderful and inexpensive protein to prepare for just about any meal. This book will introduce you to 70 recipes featuring the most common 18 beans and how to serve them. Whether you are a lifelong carnivore or an experienced plant-based eater, my hope is that some of the recipes contained in these pages can become part of your tried-and-true plant-based meal collection.
How to Use This Book
Many recipes in this book call for cooked beans. For these, refer to the for the cooking times to prepare beans from scratch on the stovetop, in a pressure cooker, or in a slow cooker, or you can substitute canned beans in their place.
While each recipe in this book highlights one or more bean types, feel free to switch things up to work with what you have in your kitchen and to suit your own personal tastes. Because there are variables like using canned or dried beans or store-bought or homemade broth (see ) in the recipes, many are only lightly salted to ensure the end product is not overly salty. Be sure to taste and add more salt and pepper as needed to suit your tastes or dietary preferences.
Before we get started on the recipes, lets go over the basics. In this chapter, we will look at all the different beans used in the recipes in this book and learn about the best ways to prepare them. By the end of this chapter, youll be ready to dive into the recipes and get cooking with confidence.
A HUMBLE POT OF BEANS
Beans have been around for thousands of years and are part of the same family (Fabaceae) as legumes and pulses. Though the names are often used interchangeably, all three terms have distinct meanings. Legume refers to the leaves, stems, or pods of any plant belonging to the Fabaceae family, while pulses are the edible seeds from legume plants, such as peas, beans, and lentils. Different types of beans, like chickpeas, white beans, black beans, and pinto beans, are pulses but are commonly referred to as beans.
Beans are extremely versatile and can be served for just about any meal: They can form the backbone of many different types of soups and stews, from the simple .
Theyre also incredibly budget-friendly. In most places, one-pound bags of dried beans cost less than a dollar and will provide enough food for multiple meals. If saving time in the kitchen is important, canned beans are a cheap option to create quick, filling meals that can be ready in minutes. Best of all, with a little imagination and a few varieties of beans in your pantry, you can whip up everything from delicious side dishes to entres to desserts.
PLANT-POWERED HEALTH
Beans are the most bang-for-the-buck food around, especially when it comes to nutrition. Numerous studies have proven the health benefits of eating beans, including:
