Great ingredients make for great meals. Whenever you can, use the highest quality supplies for your recipes. The flavor difference will always come through in your finished dish.
If there is an ingredient that you are not familiar with, check our Ingredient section. There are pages and pages of information about the ingredients used in my recipes.
Ingredient Information
Dried vs. Canned Beans
Purchasing dried beans and soaking them overnight is the best way to get the true bean flavor and a smooth texture (not always convenient, mind you, so don't hesitate to used canned beans that have been drained and rinsed).
After soaking the dried beans, rinse them well and then cook with enough water to cover the beans (at least an inch or more above the beans). Depending on the type of bean it will take about 30 - 40 minutes cooking over medium-low heat .
In a pinch, rinsing beans and cooking without presoaking will be almost as good. They won't have as true a bean flavor. Cooking time will be about 25% longer.
See Also
Legumes
Bean Paste, Hot
Bean Paste, Red (Hot)
Beans, Black, Canned
Beans, Garbanzo
Beans, Great Northern
Beans, Green
Bean Sprouts
Related Articles
Legumes in The Mediterranean
Diet
As with the wide variety of cabbages you can find in the
market, there are lots of different legumes (some of which you probably
didn't think were related to each other).
What are legumes, and
why are they good for you?
The word legume refers not only to the species of plants,
but also to any fruit that grows seeds lined up in a pod. (I find it interesting
that peas and black beans are actually considered to be fruit.) Also known
as Pulses, legumes include beans, soybeans, lentils, peas, peanuts, snap
beans and edible pods.
Slim Your Waist with Whole Grains
and Legumes
I've said for years that the most important factor in weight
loss is the number of calories you eat versus the number of calories you
burn. That said, we also know that some foods are more filling and satisfying
than others, which is just one explanation for why those who eat more
whole grains tend to gain less weight over the years. Further, those who
eat more legumes seem to have a lower Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR).
A Little More Fiber Can Help You
Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
More and more children and adolescents are considered overweight
or even obese, leading to a related rise in the cases of
insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes among
children. This is usually attributed to the amount of sugar
in their diets combined with the poor quality carbohydrates they eat.