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BEANS and LENTILS

(also known as LEGUMES)

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[[[PLEASE read notes below on **kidney beans]]]

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[to see about LENTILS and cooking them, scroll down past bean info]

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The top 9 beans for healthy benefits are: chickpeas (garbanzos),**kidney beans, black beans, lentils, pintos, peas, adzuki, peanuts, navy beans. They support blood sugar control, enhance weight loss, boost regularity, heart health, prevent anemia (especially kidney beans), filling (especially black beans), lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, provide plant-based protein (LENTILS highest

at 17.9 grams protein per one cooked cup lentils), support healthy pregnancy (pintos at top on this one), peas are rich in vitamin K/bone building help, support healthy blood clotting, protect against chronic disease, high in manganese (especially peanuts), supports muscle growth. And studies show that legumes help fight cancer. 

 

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**TOXINS IN RAW or unproperly cooked KIDNEY BEANS**

Raw kidney beans contain high amounts of protein called lectin that can lead to food poisoning. Toxicity occurs when you eat raw, soaked kidney beans either alone or in salads or casseroles.

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There have also been reports of toxicity when cooking raw, dried kidney beans in a slow-cooker.

 

Just even 4 or 5 raw kidney beans can trigger the symptoms of toxicity. Within one to three hours

of consumption of the raw beans you can experience extreme nausea and vomiting, with diarrhea and abdominal pain developing afterwards. The toxicity does not result in death and recovery is usually rather quick within three to four hours after onset of the symptoms. Some cases have required hospitalization.

What You Should Know to Prevent Illness: Cooking beans to the proper minimal internal cooking temperature will destroy most of the harmful toxins in it, making it safe to eat. Our bodies can tolerate a small amount of them, but not the amount found in raw kidney beans. Studies conducted by British scientists have found that you should soak red kidney beans in water overnight, discard the water; then boil the kidney beans in new water until they boil at

212 degrees F for at least 10 minutes. Dishes cooked in slow cookers, like casseroles, do not reach this temperature and that is why it’s been linked to toxicity. The toxicity only applies to

raw dried or soaked raw kidney beans.

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There are no toxicity issues when it comes to canned red kidney beans since they are pre-cooked.

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A word on flatulence: a BYU study years ago concluded that a steady intake of beans would help with flatulence challenges. To me, what's really happening when beans are eaten sporadically is the digestive system gets a power punch of fiber from the beans and that tends to clean us out too fast. I have noticed if we have beans 3 times a week, plus using our wheat, we don't have flatulence. BUT go SLOW in adding any fiber food to your diet, let your body adjust, please!  Now after eating this way for years, my daily goal for meals: one wheat/grain meal, one legume meal, one vegetable meal and once a day with one of those meals use meat sparingly, such as in chili or soup. This isn't very complicated actually as it translates something like this: wheat or oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, chili and cornbread for lunch, veggie and noodle stir fry for dinner. 

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The LDS Home Storage Center has 3 kinds of dry beans: black, pinto, white.  We store those, and also red beans, baby limas, and 2 kinds of lentils (green and red). We buy/use smaller amounts of kidney beans and chickpeas. You make the choices! 

And remember: tastes can be trained, so I prefer to not hear that you don't like beans :>). Even my son with autism has learned to like certain bean dishes in spite of food texture challenges. And my daughter-in-law never ate beans until I asked her to just try them here and there: now she loves to eat beans. Just eat one spoonful each try, and let your tastes just change SLOWLY (same advise for wheat and whole grains, take it slow but keep on trying).

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Amazing Beans

Little storehouses of protein, fiber, iron, vitamins such as B1, zinc, minerals. Dry beans are amazing!

(dry beans, lentils, split peas and peanuts are in the dry bean category)

Always sort dry beans, remove any debris/little rocks/dirt. Then rinse well (a screen type colander works good) before cooking.

It is common to have beans with cornbread, dumplings, rice, etc.... a grain completes the protein in beans. Meat can also be used for this purpose, as well as enhancing taste. 

If you do not currently like beans....worry not....your tastes can be changed over time, just start out slowly! I know people who have done this and now enjoy beans. What I did in our family....kept trying different... bean recipes until we found at least one recipe per type of bean we store that the fam likes. A son not willing to try red lentils found a recipe for red lentil curry soup that we tried, now it's on our list as a keeper.  Again, as with wheat......Never say never!!

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There are several ways to cook beans successfully....here is just one way.......

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Cooking Beans in a Crock pot without soaking:
This was my go to method for cooking beans without soaking until I received an electric pressure cooker as a birthday gift. I now use crock pot or **pressure cooker depending upon time frame.

2 c dry beans, sorted, put in mesh colander to rinse under water
6 c. water

Put in crock pot on low, cook about 8 hours, until tender. When beans are tender, salt and acids

such as tomatoes can be added; never add them at the beginning of cooking beans as salt and

acid foods inhibit beans from getting tender.
 

**you tube has instructions showing how to cook dry beans in a pressure cooker

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White Bean Mash for part oil substitute in baking:
Cook white beans with crock pot method until extra tender. Do NOT add salt. Drain, but keep the liquids.  Mash beans, or use a stick blender, adding in liquids to make a creamy thick consistency. This can be used for half of the oil in most recipes, it has a very mild flavor. Because it spoils rather quickly, divide into 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup amounts, put in zip-loc snack bags. Flatten bags, place in a gallon zip-loc bag. Chill overnight, then freeze for up to 4 months. Take out snack bags as needed for use in recipes. 

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Amazing Little Lentils

Lentils are high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They cook without soaking time; and can be used in a variety of ways. To me, they are **one of the best items to store and use.  Do not add salt or acid foods while cooking lentils: this will make the skin of lentils tough wait until lentils are cooked tender, then add salt and/or acid foods. Once I got used to the taste of lentils, they soon became a favorite; now I absolutely love lentils (our family fave.....lentil tacos......recipe is on this site).

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**there are several companies that sell lentils sealed in #10 cans, just google: lentils in #10 cans

I recommend you store the green and red lentils for versatile use. 

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We buy/use 2 basic kinds of lentils.  Brown or Green lentils cook the same, though lately it has been harder to find the brown kind. Red lentils are our other choice, they break down when cooked, like split peas do. Red lentils cost more than brown/green, but still within reason. We rotate our lentil supply (stored in buckets that hold 25 pounds each) on about a 5 to 7 year cycle, unless sealed in #10 cans which last years longer. 

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Cooking lentils:

I have noticed that the older the lentils, the more cooking time needed.....whereas some will cook

in 20 minutes.....the older ones take more like 40+ minutes.

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2/3 c. brown or green lentils
2 c. water

In saucepan, bring this mixture to boiling. Cover, turn heat to medium-low cook 20 to 35 minutes, until lentils are tender. When done cooking, stir in 1/4 tsp. sea salt for amount of lentils listed here, cover, let sit a few minutes.

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