Beans

Cook time; approximately two hours
You will need:
One- three quart saucepan
Two- approximate cups of beans
Three- vegetable bouillon cubes (I use Knorr brand bouillon cubes)
One half- of a cube of butter or one quarter cup of fat
Water; approximately eight to twelve cups

All types of beans can be prepared in this fashion. Lentils, split peas, navy beans, fava beans, black beans… and the list goes on.
I start with a three quart saucepan and fill the bottom with dried beans up to the first crease of my index finger; approximately two cups of dried beans. Then I fill the three quart saucepan with water leaving about an inch to an inch and a half headspace for boiling room. This only varies when you are cooking peas; peas need less water; I recommend reducing the water by about half.
I add three cubes of vegetable bouillon made by Knorr; I’m sure there are other types of cubed vegetable bouillon out there but I haven’t found any myself. I prefer to use cubes simply because it cuts out my need to measure. Other alternatives could be liquid from a can or your own homemade recipe however using this method requires you to add more broth during the cooking process instead of plain water.
The last thing I add is a half a cube of butter for fat. Beans need fat to cook appropriately. You can substitute butter for oil, lard or shortening, the type of fat isn’t important unless you’re seeking to cook them according to specific dietary needs such as vegan or to use in a recipe that would be better if the beans had a nuttier flavor and would taste better if cooked in coconut or peanut oil.
The beans need little attention during the cooking process. All you do is throw the lid on and let them boil; not merely simmer but boil good but not too hard where they boil over when the lid is on. Using the lid traps the heat and helps retain water so you only have to add liquid around the halfway point. Always stir your beans occasionally during the cooking process to make sure you don’t run out of liquid. Toward the last half of cooking you may want to allow the liquid level to run low but keep enough just to cover the beans by about an inch.
Most beans such as black beans and kidney beans take about two hours give or take twenty minutes depending on their freshness. I always make sure my beans have at least an inch of broth over the top of them when they are finished cooking; this helps them retain their moisture and flavor if I plan to store them in the fridge for future use. In the fridge they will keep approximately one week. Cooked beans can be frozen too but I don’t have any experience with doing so myself.
Lentils may only take about an hour; I would recommend checking them about thirty minutes into the cooking process. Split peas might only take a half hour to forty minutes but this varies remarkably by elevation and how hard you are boiling them. Split peas are measured at a two to one average and require less liquid but they will need to be looked after closely; too much liquid and you’ll have a watered down soup not enough liquid and you’ll have a pasty soup. I can’t give any details on proper measurements; I don’t measure… Two to one is to measure one part dried peas to two parts liquid. It’s better to have to add more liquid than it is to try and fix it if there’s too much liquid. Lentils; if there’s too much liquid can be strained, but peas break down in the cooking process and you won’t be able to strain them.
To check the doneness of the beans I do what I call a squish test. I spoon about five to eight beans onto a plate and smash them with the back of the spoon. If they smash well then I taste them to make sure of their doneness. If I’m satisfied then I turn it off and leave it rest for an hour or two. Beans are best if not thrown in the fridge scolding hot but rather luke warm. Health professionals will harp over the possible safety of such methods but I’ve been practicing it for years and I’ve yet to poison anyone… Besides; if you throw a hot pot of food in your fridge you risk warming the entire fridge and defrosting your freezer too… I’ve experienced this myself…
There are numerous uses for your cooked beans. I will list a few options here but later I will also add some other tried and true recipes I create frequently.

Hummus

Approximately one and a half cups of chilled cooked beans or lentils drained and rinsed
Two tbsp of roasted garlic
Three tbsp toasted sesame seeds
One tbsp sesame oil
One eighth cup of olive oil
Half to three quarters cup of cold water
One tbsp minced sweet basil
One tbsp minced cilantro
Salt to taste
In a bella or bullet machine blend all ingredients only adding water a little at a time until you can blend well without it being too liquid. The consistency of peanut butter is about right. Spoon into a container with a lid and chill about two hours before use.
There are a multitude of variations for this recipe… You can turn this into a southwest flavor by adding a spoon of brown sugar and some taco seasoning and omitting the sesame seeds and sesame oil. You can even spice it up with some cayenne or chili powder or use a roasted hot chili pepper.
Try adding Kalamata olives and a little olive juice and grated parmesan or romano cheese and toasted pine nuts instead of sesame seeds. You could omit the sesame oil and use soy sauce or worcestershire sauce instead.

Refried Beans

It’s easy to turn most any type of cooked beans into refried beans. Heat them back to a boil and cook them down a little more; remember to add liquid. When the beans are easy to mash against the side of the pan you’ll want to reduce the heat and use a potato masher to mash them to your preferred consistency. Keep cooking them on simmer if you have a little too much liquid but remember to stir them often at this point; refried beans stick and burn easily.
You can turn this into a fabulous bean dip by adding a ranch seasoning packet or some taco seasoning. Otherwise these beans are good all by themselves topped with some cheese, green onion and sour cream.
Refried beans make a good side dish served with chili rejanoes and fajitas. For flare you can top with a pinch of cheese and green onion.

 Bean Soup

When you’re wanting soup but you don’t have meat or don’t want to use meat; use beans as a substitute. Beans with ham or bacon or ham hocks are always a good hit too. When adding to cooked beans you’ll want to cook the bacon or hocks and rinse and trim fat before adding them to your beans. Vegetables that pair well with beans are squash such as zucchini, corn, spinach, carrots, celery, onion and mushrooms. You could add cabbage and potatoes but these will increase gas and bloating when consumed with beans. Beans are also delicious added to a creamed soup or in tomato based stews. Some cheats I like to use is my favorite marinara or alfredo sauce as a base and build up from there. Various spices pair well such as Italian seasoning and tarragon and spinach. This will make your soup taste like minestrone. You could saute mushrooms and onions with a touch of soy sauce or worcestershire and a splash of wine or wine vinegar and add them to your creamed soup to make it taste more like stroganoff.

 Chili

It’s extremely easy to turn beans and lentils into chili. I start with the cooked beans but I don’t strain the broth. I also cheat and use a taco seasoning mix to start but I usually wind up adding more cumin and chili powder and when I’m really feeling brazen I add cayenne or roasted hot peppers. Another easy cheat is to use your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce as a base but plain tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes will also work. If you like the fresh from scratch method of course I’d recommend cooking your tomatoes down and straining them before adding cooked beans if you don’t want your chili watery. Other seasonings to consider for your chili include ground black or white pepper, ground ginger, ground clove, fresh or dried cilantro, fresh or dried oregano and plenty of garlic. To make your chili really stand out and appear meaty you could add any variation of sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, onions and peppers. And if you’re not cooking for a vegetarian then by all means feel free to add cooked ground sausage, hamburger or turkey. You could use pulled pork, leftover pot roast or even a chopped up cooked steak or prime rib. Cooked chicken and turkey make good meat additions too.
To make a southwest chili add a few tbsp of brown sugar and a drizzle of molasses.

 Gumbo

Gumbo is a combination of seafood pork and chicken cooked in a stew and flavored like a southwest chili. Be careful if you plan on turning your beans into a gumbo; be sure everything is well cooked before mixing them together in the same pot. Most gumbo has a touch of black coffee and brown sugar to set off the spicy. I usually use just a teaspoon of instant coffee rather than brewed coffee to reduce adding too much liquid.

 Other Ideas

Add more bouillon or even meat bouillon or base of your choosing when making soups and chili and gumbo.
Add warmed beans to a dish of mac and cheese or your favorite ricearoni.
If your chili turns out too watery turn it into taco soup by adding sour cream or alfredo sauce and serve topped with green onion and shredded cheese.
You could serve up Fritos, corn chips or cornbread with any variation of these recipes.
Cold Beans drained and rinsed are good on salads and in pasta salad or slaw
Warmed cooked beans are great on tacos in lieu of meat
Mix beans with cheese and taco seasoning and roll them in a tortilla and fry them in oil.
Add rice and top with favorite combination of seasonings.
Add favorite flavor bouillon and some extra water heat to boiling and serve over rice.

 My apologies if these recipe ideas aren’t detailed enough. I rarely measure or use measurements when I’m cooking things on the stove top. Typically I get a general idea and I cook to my own taste. It’s like art, you never know what it’s going to be until it’s finished. And though you think you may be cooking it exactly the same as you did before; chances are you’re not and the differences oftentimes are quite amazing and well received. Besides; if you’re cooking on a budget or trying to use up leftovers, it’s easier to have flexibility and be open to substitutions.

“TRUE HAPPINESS”

Happiness is a state of mind
True Happiness is found when we are “doing something worthwhile with a purpose”.
My program and seminar called “True Happiness” is working wonders in the people’s lives that use it and are dedicated to affecting positive changes in their lives by embracing the spiritual energy that we all are. Using this program to define what it is they want in every area in their lives.

 

TRUE HAPPINESS – DOING SOMETHING WORTHWHILE WITH A PURPOSE – A design for living happy program. 

By Scott Henning  

AVAILABLE NOW
ON AMAZON
CLICK HERE