The Best, and Easiest Bean Recipes

Earlier I talked about why you need to eat more beans , and here i'm going to share with you some of the best bean recipes I've ever had.

If beans make you a little to "musical" you can adjust your digestive system by eating at least one bean dish a week, and then slowly increasing the amount of beans you eat. After a while your stomach flora will adjust to all the complex carbs in beans and you won't be as gassy.

You can also find bean digesting enzymes like :Integrative Therapeutics - Similase BV - Bean and Vegetable Digestive Enzymes - 90 Capsules  To prevent gas.

Cowboy Caviar (midwestern style)

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (11 ounce) can sweet corn, drained 
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1 diced green bell pepper

In a bowl combine the diced tomatoes, drained can of black-eyed peas, can of drained black beans, can of drained sweet corn, diced onion and peppers.

In a seperate bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, vinegar, chili powder, and salt until well mixed then poor over the veggies and beans. Mix well then serve with chips as a salsa.

Black Bean Soup

2 15 oz cans of black beans
1 14 oz can of vegetable broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
3/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 lime cut into wedges
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cup of crushed tortilla chips

In a slow cooker add beans, broth, onions, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3 1/2 hours. Blend soup with a hand blender until semi-smooth. Serve with fresh lime juice, a handful of crushed tortilla chips, and a dollop of sour cream.

Edamame and Cannellini Bean Salad

12 oz of frozen edamame

1 15oz can of cannellini beans

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1 tablespoon of italian seasoning

2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

1 clove of garlic minced

1 pinch of salt 

1 pinch of black pepper

Saute the edamame in the olive oil until fully cooked and starts to brown. 

Once cool add the edamame and all the oil in a bowl. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans to the edamame, then add the lemon juice, italian seasoning, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix, chill, then eat as a side or as a main dish.

White Bean Croquettes with Mango Chutney

For the croquettes:
1 15 oz can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 oz of walnuts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of panko bread crumbs

In a bowl combine the drained and rinsed beans, nuts, garlic, herbs, spices, and 2 tablespoons of panko bread crumbs. Mix well then mash the beans until semi chunky. Scoop a 1/4 cup of bean mixture and form into a patty with your hands. Coat both sides of the patty in the panko bread crumbs then fry in a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Cook until the side is brown then flip and repeat. Serve with store bought or homemade chutney.

For the Chutney:
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander 
3 ripe mangoes, copped
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 cup of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, stir in the spices then saute for another 2 minutes. Add the mangoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 1 hour over low heat stirring every 20 minutes. Remove the chutney from the heat and let cool. With a hand mixer, blend into a puree then store in the fridge with a tight fitting lid.

White Bean and Goat Cheese Spread

1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of soft white goat cheese
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of parsley
1 teaspoon of basil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor combine all ingredients and then blend until creamy. Serve as a spread for cucumber sandwiches, or on crostini with sundried tomatoes. Or as a dip with crackers.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

1 cup dried lentils

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon herbs de provence

2 cloves of gralic minced

4 ounces of white mushrooms, chopped

1 cup of peas, fresh or frozen

1 teaspoon of salt

1 pinch of curry powder

1 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 pinch of pepper

4 potatoes, pealed and diced

1 onion chopped

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water

3 tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons of butter

In a medium sauce pan saute the onion, mushrooms, garlic,and lentils. Add the pinch of curry powder. Stir occasionally until onions and mushrooms are soft. Add the vegetable broth and water and simmer for 20 minutes utnil lentils are soft. 

Meanwhile boil the potatoes for 20 minutes and till you can easily peirce them with a fork. 

Once lentils are done cooking add them in a bowl with the tomato sauce, peas, herbs de provence, salt and pepper. Add to a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Mash potatoes with a hand mixer with the milk and butter, and a little more salt and pepper to taste. Dollop the potatoes on top of the lentils and flatten with a spatula. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then serve.

Spicy Lentil Snacks

1 cup dry lentils

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

salt and pepper to taste

Black and White sesame seeds

Cook lentils with two cups of water, simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Saute onions, garlic, and spices in a pan with the oil until the onions are soft and translucent, then add the rice and saute for another 2 minutes.

Combine everything in a large bowl, mash until well combined.

Form into golf ball sized balls, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Roll in seeds once done. Wait for them to cool then serve. Tastes great with Tsatziki sauce or chutney.