It's A Vegetable, It's A Protein, It's Super Bean!
Trends and fads aren't usually important to me, but this study got my attention. In 2008, WIC took a survey among their staff, a "Food Shopping and Consumption Habits" study and found that 79% of their staff ate dry beans and peas as a part of their regular diet. The folks at WIC know a thing or two about nutrition and value, so I trust their judgement. I haven't cooked with dry beans and peas that often and began to wonder why not. Is it time to get on-board with the folks at WIC?
Why, you ask? Well, other than joining the trend, how about because legumes are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. Because dry beans and peas are similar in nutrition to meats, poultry, and fish, many people consider dry beans and peas an alternative for meat. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate, nutrients sadly lacking in the American diet.
If your diet includes meat, poultry, and fish, the USDA (Dept. of Agriculture) still recommends that you eat several cups of dry beans and peas every week. The reason for this recommendation is because legumes have a very high nutrient content. Dry beans and peas also round out the Food Pyramid (Food Guide) on several levels. The "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group", or the protein group, includes dry beans and peas, and the "vegetable" group also includes dry beans and peas. If you feed your family dry beans and peas, you are satisfying two nutritional needs with one nutrient-packed food. Whether you serve dry beans and peas as a substitute for meat, or you serve them as a vegetable, you are ensuring that your family maintains a properly balanced diet.
We also have a list of dry beans and peas, courtesy of the USDA, which makes it a little easier when you step into the grocery store. To clear up any confusion, this is the list: black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), and white beans. Jot down your list and let's go shopping.
When you get to the grocery store, head for the rice aisle. Somewhere nearby there should be bags of dry beans and peas stacked up. Grab one that you remember from the list and check out the price. Usually that's a good time to relax and smile. Now, turn the bag over and you'll notice the instructions for preparing your beans for cooking. It all seems a little easier now, doesn't it.
You'll find not only cooking directions on the bag, but usually a recipe or two. There is no shortage of recipes to be found for cooking with lentils. Just start searching the internet and cookbooks and you'll see what I mean. Some recipes may seem quite familiar. Haven't you made Split Pea Soup? There you go! You've already cooked with dry peas and probably never even thought about it. This isn't going to be so hard to figure out after all.
Now, you're wondering if there is a difference between dry beans and peas and their canned counterparts. Yes and no. For instance, just about any recipe you find for Black Bean Soup can be made with dry beans or canned. The difference boils down to (pardon the pun) boiling the beans. Yes, using dry beans and peas takes time, but the benefits of the dry may outweigh the convenience of the can. If you are watching your pennies (and who isn't), you will appreciate the price difference immediately. Roughly speaking, you'll get about 6 cups of cooked beans out of a 1 pound bag of dry beans, so do the math before you buy, and always shop around and watch the sales. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep some of each, dry and canned, on hand so you are ready for quick meals as well as planned.
It seems like light-years ago that you made your first Simple Split Pea Soup. It's hard to believe that you were so frightened of those little bags of dry beans and peas, isn't it? You've embraced the challenge of making your own Chickpea Hummus and Falafel. Your family loves your Lentil & Vegetable Soup, especially with the Dumplings swimming around on top. Of course, not to forget your Congressional Bean Soup, Lentil Chili, or that great Hot Kidney Bean Salad that your friends rave about. Now that you've crossed over to the dry bean and pea aisle, share the word, and your recipes, with others and see if you can't keep the momentum going. Great job! - 17269
Why, you ask? Well, other than joining the trend, how about because legumes are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. Because dry beans and peas are similar in nutrition to meats, poultry, and fish, many people consider dry beans and peas an alternative for meat. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate, nutrients sadly lacking in the American diet.
If your diet includes meat, poultry, and fish, the USDA (Dept. of Agriculture) still recommends that you eat several cups of dry beans and peas every week. The reason for this recommendation is because legumes have a very high nutrient content. Dry beans and peas also round out the Food Pyramid (Food Guide) on several levels. The "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group", or the protein group, includes dry beans and peas, and the "vegetable" group also includes dry beans and peas. If you feed your family dry beans and peas, you are satisfying two nutritional needs with one nutrient-packed food. Whether you serve dry beans and peas as a substitute for meat, or you serve them as a vegetable, you are ensuring that your family maintains a properly balanced diet.
We also have a list of dry beans and peas, courtesy of the USDA, which makes it a little easier when you step into the grocery store. To clear up any confusion, this is the list: black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), and white beans. Jot down your list and let's go shopping.
When you get to the grocery store, head for the rice aisle. Somewhere nearby there should be bags of dry beans and peas stacked up. Grab one that you remember from the list and check out the price. Usually that's a good time to relax and smile. Now, turn the bag over and you'll notice the instructions for preparing your beans for cooking. It all seems a little easier now, doesn't it.
You'll find not only cooking directions on the bag, but usually a recipe or two. There is no shortage of recipes to be found for cooking with lentils. Just start searching the internet and cookbooks and you'll see what I mean. Some recipes may seem quite familiar. Haven't you made Split Pea Soup? There you go! You've already cooked with dry peas and probably never even thought about it. This isn't going to be so hard to figure out after all.
Now, you're wondering if there is a difference between dry beans and peas and their canned counterparts. Yes and no. For instance, just about any recipe you find for Black Bean Soup can be made with dry beans or canned. The difference boils down to (pardon the pun) boiling the beans. Yes, using dry beans and peas takes time, but the benefits of the dry may outweigh the convenience of the can. If you are watching your pennies (and who isn't), you will appreciate the price difference immediately. Roughly speaking, you'll get about 6 cups of cooked beans out of a 1 pound bag of dry beans, so do the math before you buy, and always shop around and watch the sales. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep some of each, dry and canned, on hand so you are ready for quick meals as well as planned.
It seems like light-years ago that you made your first Simple Split Pea Soup. It's hard to believe that you were so frightened of those little bags of dry beans and peas, isn't it? You've embraced the challenge of making your own Chickpea Hummus and Falafel. Your family loves your Lentil & Vegetable Soup, especially with the Dumplings swimming around on top. Of course, not to forget your Congressional Bean Soup, Lentil Chili, or that great Hot Kidney Bean Salad that your friends rave about. Now that you've crossed over to the dry bean and pea aisle, share the word, and your recipes, with others and see if you can't keep the momentum going. Great job! - 17269
About the Author:
Spending a whole day in the kitchen cooking beans may not be on your schedule these days. You can still cook with beans on a tight schedule if you speed up the process by using canned beans. Try this hearty Sausage Bean Skillet or this Tortilla and Chip Pie for quick and easy meals on a busy night.
posted by X - Men at
5:07 PM
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