Using Dried Beans - Info & Tips Needed Please!

[julesapple]

Dried Beans.......hard as pebbles and just as unappetising!

I've been reading up about the benefits of dried beans etc for Diabetics. The BH and I will happily tuck into any type of beans, but most canned ones are much higher on the glycemic index than dried ones, which don't have added sugars etc.

I don't have time to soak the butter beans needed for tonight's Tuscan recipe, so I'm going to use canned Red Kidney and Cannellini that I already have in the kitchen. I'm off to browse the dried legumes section at Saint Bugs in a minute, see what I can garner there.

You guys though, are a much better, more reliable, tried & tested, source of info. Does anyone use dried beans - any sort - how long do you soak them for and what sort of things do you make?

[Hazel at the Hill]

You want TwoSheds for this one, Jules.

For what it's worth, though, soak the beans overnight in cold water (100g dried beans = a 400g tin when soaked), then boil them like mad for 10mins, then change the water and simmer for - uh - till they're done (45-60mins, depending on size of bean).

I like smaller beans (black turtle, cherokee trail of tears) than big barlotti sized ones, as the latter taste 'mealy' to me.

Chuck em in any stew you're doing, or with tommies, onions etc and saus for a nice casserole (paprika or chili powder good in this).

There's a loads of bean recipes on here too in the Season to taste bit.

[roitelet]

As hazel says soak them overnight. Red beans in particular need to be boiled fast for 10 mins to destroy the toxins. Lentils don't need to be soaked, red ones are good in soup and stew as they break down to a mush but the green and brown ones stay whole. Soya beans are really yummy but take an age to cook after soaking. if you are using dried beans it is a question of thinking ahead. Cooked beans can be frozen so you could cook more than you want and keep the rest for later.

[Thelma Sanders]

I grow big white beans Spagna Bianco (D T Brown) and make Gigantes plaki aka Greek beans with them
Gigantes plaki | BBC Good Food

For dried beans/pulses in general - I do the overnight soak and boiling/simmering bit and then divide into 'tinsize' polybags for freezing. It's easy to add them to recipes later, and much cheaper than buying tins.

[julesapple]

You want TwoSheds for this one, Jules.

For what it's worth, though, soak the beans overnight in cold water (100g dried beans = a 400g tin when soaked), then boil them like mad for 10mins, then change the water and simmer for - uh - till they're done (45-60mins, depending on size of bean).

I like smaller beans (black turtle, cherokee trail of tears) than big barlotti sized ones, as the latter taste 'mealy' to me.

Chuck em in any stew you're doing, or with tommies, onions etc and saus for a nice casserole (paprika or chili powder good in this).

There's a loads of bean recipes on here too in the Season to taste bit.

Wow! That thread of TS's is brilliant - Thanks Hazel!

[julesapple]

Might have to buy, prep & freeze a whole load of different beans. We so need to replace our second freezer, it went ppffuutt.

When the weather clears, I shall go and explore legumes at the supermarket. I wish I had room to grow more!

[julesapple]

I grow big white beans Spagna Bianco (D T Brown) and make Gigantes plaki aka Greek beans with them
Gigantes plaki | BBC Good Food

For dried beans/pulses in general - I do the overnight soak and boiling/simmering bit and then divide into 'tinsize' polybags for freezing. It's easy to add them to recipes later, and much cheaper than buying tins.

The Greek beans look fabulous - I'm really hungry now! - I used to make a lot of Cypriot potatoes (Potatoes Yianni) but we can't eat spuds now. I do miss them.

[Two_Sheds]

Wow! That thread of TS's is brilliant

I'm glad it's helpful

I grow loads of beans (I'm vegetarian & they're a great form of protein) and chuck a handful into most recipes, eg soups, stews, curries

Also in salads, where they get a dressing of oil, vinegar, chilli & garlic

[Vince G]

We grow borlotti beans, they're dead easy to grow and always do well, and chick peas which can be a bit hit and miss in the UK espcially if we have a poor summer. We got a decent crop this year for the first time thanks to the summer lasting a bit longer this year.

Both need soaking overnight. I make "posh" baked beans with the borlotti. After their boil, they get simmered in a tom sauce with onions, herbs and spices such as paprika, chilli and bay. I sometimes chuck in any leftover pork or bacon if we fancy a bit of meat in it, then serve on buttered toated doorsteps. Delicious and very filling!

[chris]

I do similar with the tomato sauce (using passata) - reducing it down and then have it in a wrap. Very tasty & filling.


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[julesapple]

One of the reasons I want to use beans is as a filler. We can't eat the usual things you'd bulk out a meal with - bread, rice, potatoes, pasta - because they send the BH's sugar levels through the roof. I even have to be careful about sugo/passata because toms are high in sugar.

We did start by replacing rice and pasta with broccoli, but we're getting to the stage where we don't really want to look at another floret........

[chris]

Quinoa any good? Bulgar wheat?


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[julesapple]

Nope, can't touch grains etc.......pure carbs. Not sure about quinoa.

He really misses porridge, although I can make quite a good sub from linseed.

[chris]

Polenta? I love that roasted with tomatoes and chicken.


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[julesapple]

Polenta is wheat. We used to love couscous, but anything like that is right out now.

There are plenty of things we can eat, but it's variation that's the problem. You should see the amounts of pure fat we eat! The dietetics woman 'ad 'eadfit when we told her, but she couldn't explain the fact that both of us have cholesterol levels in the low 4's. She just said it was a fluke!