|
Vegan Cooking
Using the Old Bean
by Tammie Ortlieb
The big divide between vegetarians everywhere is whether to include meat substitutes in the diet. One camp maintains they provide a tasty convenient source of protein. Full of the ever-loving heart healthy soy, they cram a familiar look and feel into a convenient package. The other side, however, insists the faux meats taste a little too much like the real thing.
I was reading an article the other day by a guy who swears he will never touch a meat alternative again. Something about pig's brains and a holiday loaf. Couldn't quite stomach reading to the end. I must admit, I follow a plant based diet to get away from those tastes- not to emulate them.
The compromise, then? Try using beans in recipes that would normally incorporate ground beef, chicken, or other animal sources. High in protein, readily available in mainstream supermarkets, and easy to use, beans come in a multitude of sizes and shapes, making them easily adaptable to any number of recipes.
Kidney, lima, black, navy, and pinto are but a few of the varieties on the market today. These little powerhouses come in red, white, tan, specked, black, and other assorted colors. You can find beans dried, canned, frozen, and even in jars. Their use is limited only by the number of good recipe books you have sitting on your shelves.
I am searching my pages right now and finding everything from appetizers and spreads to soups and casseroles. Beannaise, cassoulet, and bean croquettes. Old-fashioned baked, refried, and wild rice and bean salad. Hummus, bean cakes, and black bean quesadillas. And would you believe some sort of dessert involving the beloved pinto?
An excellent protein food, beans provide a hearty fiber rich source of nutrients for vegans of all ages. Packed with complex carbohydrates and minerals such as iron and zinc they fuel both our bodies and our brains. Current research shows this low fat, no cholesterol food may also reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Who wouldn't want to throw a few extra beans in the pot with all this goodness going for them?
In fact, the USDA now recommends eating three cups or more per week for maximum health benefits. This is three times more than that of the typical American diet. With burgers and fries being the steadies and a fast paced lifestyle being more normal than not, most of us aren’t giving thought to forking in a few extra adzukis. I am ashamed to even say out loud that before I crossed over to the herbivorous side I maybe LOOKED at a bean once a month. Even some die hard vegetarians shy away from beans in favor of less side-effect producing protein sources.
Fun, fast, and fabulous, beans provide a tasty, colorful addition to practically any dish. To get you started in your quest toward better health, I have included an especially mouth watering recipe from my own collection. This soup is perfect for those “sitting around the house in front of the fireplace” kinds of evenings. The ultimate comfort food, my three bean chili radiates both warmth and health. So get yourself out to the kitchen and tie on that apron. Grab the biggest spoon you can find and, as my southern-bred daddy used to say, have at it.
Three Bean Chili
Serves 6-8
- 3 28-oz. cans tomatoes, cut up
- 15 oz. can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 T. chili powder
- 1 t. cumin
- ½ t. salt
- ¼ t. coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 dash cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in large soup pot. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, slightly covered, for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Serve with homemade bread or whole grain crackers.
Tammie Ortlieb, veggie mom and vegan wannabe, has her Master's in Developmental Psychology. Her essays and recipes have appeared in Veggie Life, Vegetarian Baby and Child Online Magazine, Vegfamily, and Mothering.com.
| |
Sponsors:
|
