You Are What You Eat Part 4 Legumes

Okay, on to legumes which make up a wide variety of delicious foods!

Legumes are a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils — are among the most versatile and nutritious foods available. Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also contain beneficial fats and soluble and insoluble fiber. A good source of protein, legumes can be a healthy substitute for meat, which has more fat and cholesterol. some examples of Legumes are:

Adzuki beans:  Also known as field peas or red oriental beans. The are used in soups,made into sweet bean paste, and and commonly seen in Japanese and Chinese dishes.

Anasazi beans: Also known as Jacob’s cattle beans. There are wonderful for soups and found in many Southwestern dishes.

Black beans: Also known as turtle beans, they are also wonderful for soups, stews, rice dishes and often seen in  Latin American cuisines.

Black-eyed peas: Also known as cowpeas. They are often seen in salads, casseroles, fritters and Southern U.S. dishes.

Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo or ceci beans. Wonderful for casseroles, hummus, minestrone soup, and Spanish and Indian dishes.

Edamame: Also known as green soybeans great for munching on as Snacks, great in salads, casseroles and rice dishes. (One of my favorites and many times seen in a Japanese restaurant as an appetizer.

Fava beans: Also known as broad or horse beans. Delicious in stews and as side dishes!

Lentils: come in many different colors with their own different flavors. the are great in soups, stews, salads, side dishes and often seen in Indian dishes.

Lima beans: Also known as butter or Madagascar beans, used for succotash, casseroles, soups and salads. (Honestly, this is not one of my favorites!)

Red kidney beans: Great in stews, salads, chili and rice dishes.

How do you prepare legumes:

• Slow soak. In a stockpot, cover 1 pound dried beans with 10 cups water. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• Hot soak. In a stockpot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover tightly and set aside at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
• Quick soak. In a stockpot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil. Boil 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

After soaking, rinse beans and add to a stockpot. Cover the beans with three times their volume of water. Add herbs or spices as desired. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender. The cooking time depends on the type of bean, but start checking after 45 minutes. Add more water if the beans become uncovered. Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.

Okay, now some Legume recipes: (Again, thanks to my wife)

Ingredients for Legume And Vegetable Soup Recipe

• ¼ cup dry lima beans
• 2 tablespoons green split peas
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped turnips
• 2 tablespoons okra (fresh or canned)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 quarts water
• ¼ cup unroasted peanut butter or very finely chopped raw peanuts
• 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

1. Instead of the raw peanuts or peanut butter, two tablespoons nut soup stock or one tablespoon vegex may be used. If these are used, the beans and peas may be omitted.
2. Wash the beans and peas and simmer them in the cold water.
3. Prepare the vegetables and put them, except the parsley, in with the peas and beans.
4. Boil slowly five hours.
5. At the end of four hours’ cooking, add the chopped peanuts or the peanut butter thinned with hot water.
6. After another hour’s cooking, add the salt, chopped parsley, and boiling water to replace what has boiled away.
7. Serve with croutons.

Ingredients for Bean Cutlets Recipe

• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ cup bean liquor
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• ¼ lb. dried beans
• A few cooked mixed vegetables Breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Soak beans in water twenty-four hours, then boil for several hours till quite tender, drain them, preserving liquor, chop them very fine; blend vegetable shortening with flour in saucepan over fire, add bean liquor, beans, salt and pepper, and yolks of eggs; turn out on to a dish and set aside till cold.
2. Then cut out with cutlet-cutter or shape with knife; dip in beaten whites of the eggs, then in fine breadcrumbs, repeat a second time, and fry in hot vegetable shortening.
3. Serve on hot platter decorated with a few hot cooked mixed vegetables.
4. Sufficient for eight cutlets.

Ingredients for Easy Green Bean Recipe

• 3/4 pound green beans
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Steam the beans for 3 minutes or until soft but still firm.
2. Mince the garlic into a small bowl and add the soy sauce, and honey.
3. Heat the oil on medium heat in a frying pan and add the green beans.
4. Cook, while stirring, for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the liquids and cook for 2 minutes.

The best Vegetarian Chile!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
• 2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles
• 3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.