Join The Revolution! Start Cooking With Beans, Peas, and Lentils.
I'm not one to follow fads, but this just may be a trend worth checking out. According to a 2008 study done by WIC "Food Shopping and Consumption Habits" Staff Survey, 79% of staff report that they regularly consume dry beans and peas. Now, the staff at WIC happen to know a bit about nutrition and value for your dollar, so this is something to consider. Why haven't you tried cooking with dry beans and peas yet? Could be because you just don't know their value or you just haven't tried them. Let's see if we can get you on-board.
Why, you ask? Well, other than joining the trend, how about because legumes are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. Because dry beans and peas are similar in nutrition to meats, poultry, and fish, many people consider dry beans and peas an alternative for meat. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate, nutrients sadly lacking in the American diet.
Even if you eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you also consume several cups a week of dry beans and peas simply because of their high nutrient content. Dry beans and peas are a part of the Food Guide (Food Pyramid) "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group", but are also a part of the vegetable group. So, whether you're a vegetarian, substituting dry beans and peas for meat, or you consume dry beans or peas as a vegetable, you are providing your family with the properly balanced nutrition needed for good overall health.
The USDA also helps us out by defining exactly what qualifies as a dry bean or pea. The following is their list, which should clear up any confusion. The list is - black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), and white beans. Now that you know what to look for, let's go grocery shopping.
Finding some or all of these in your local grocery store shouldn't be difficult. Just walk down the aisle that has the rice and you should walk right past the bags of dry beans and peas. Don't be scared if this is your first time buying dry beans. Take a moment to look at the price. That ought to bring a smile back to your face! Directions for preparation are written on the back of the bag, so you should be feeling a little more secure now.
You'll find not only cooking directions on the bag, but usually a recipe or two. There is no shortage of recipes to be found for cooking with lentils. Just start searching the internet and cookbooks and you'll see what I mean. Some recipes may seem quite familiar. Haven't you made Split Pea Soup? There you go! You've already cooked with dry peas and probably never even thought about it. This isn't going to be so hard to figure out after all.
Now, you're wondering if there is a difference between dry beans and peas and their canned counterparts. Yes and no. For instance, just about any recipe you find for Black Bean Soup can be made with dry beans or canned. The difference boils down to (pardon the pun) boiling the beans. Yes, using dry beans and peas takes time, but the benefits of the dry may outweigh the convenience of the can. If you are watching your pennies (and who isn't), you will appreciate the price difference immediately. Roughly speaking, you'll get about 6 cups of cooked beans out of a 1 pound bag of dry beans, so do the math before you buy, and always shop around and watch the sales. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep some of each, dry and canned, on hand so you are ready for quick meals as well as planned.
Now that you've gone beyond your Simple Split Pea Soup, you'll want to delve into the world of real dry bean and pea cuisine! Starting with a simple Lentil Chili or Hot Kidney Bean Salad, and moving into making a satisfying Congressional Bean Soup, or ever popular Falafel. You may never eat store-bought Chickpea Hummus once you make your own creation. You'll be amazed at how fast you leave that scared "dry bean novice" cook behind to embrace all the possibilities. And now that you've joined the legume bandwagon, spread the word to other folks, and see if you can't start your own revolution! - 17274
Why, you ask? Well, other than joining the trend, how about because legumes are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. Because dry beans and peas are similar in nutrition to meats, poultry, and fish, many people consider dry beans and peas an alternative for meat. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate, nutrients sadly lacking in the American diet.
Even if you eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you also consume several cups a week of dry beans and peas simply because of their high nutrient content. Dry beans and peas are a part of the Food Guide (Food Pyramid) "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group", but are also a part of the vegetable group. So, whether you're a vegetarian, substituting dry beans and peas for meat, or you consume dry beans or peas as a vegetable, you are providing your family with the properly balanced nutrition needed for good overall health.
The USDA also helps us out by defining exactly what qualifies as a dry bean or pea. The following is their list, which should clear up any confusion. The list is - black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), and white beans. Now that you know what to look for, let's go grocery shopping.
Finding some or all of these in your local grocery store shouldn't be difficult. Just walk down the aisle that has the rice and you should walk right past the bags of dry beans and peas. Don't be scared if this is your first time buying dry beans. Take a moment to look at the price. That ought to bring a smile back to your face! Directions for preparation are written on the back of the bag, so you should be feeling a little more secure now.
You'll find not only cooking directions on the bag, but usually a recipe or two. There is no shortage of recipes to be found for cooking with lentils. Just start searching the internet and cookbooks and you'll see what I mean. Some recipes may seem quite familiar. Haven't you made Split Pea Soup? There you go! You've already cooked with dry peas and probably never even thought about it. This isn't going to be so hard to figure out after all.
Now, you're wondering if there is a difference between dry beans and peas and their canned counterparts. Yes and no. For instance, just about any recipe you find for Black Bean Soup can be made with dry beans or canned. The difference boils down to (pardon the pun) boiling the beans. Yes, using dry beans and peas takes time, but the benefits of the dry may outweigh the convenience of the can. If you are watching your pennies (and who isn't), you will appreciate the price difference immediately. Roughly speaking, you'll get about 6 cups of cooked beans out of a 1 pound bag of dry beans, so do the math before you buy, and always shop around and watch the sales. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep some of each, dry and canned, on hand so you are ready for quick meals as well as planned.
Now that you've gone beyond your Simple Split Pea Soup, you'll want to delve into the world of real dry bean and pea cuisine! Starting with a simple Lentil Chili or Hot Kidney Bean Salad, and moving into making a satisfying Congressional Bean Soup, or ever popular Falafel. You may never eat store-bought Chickpea Hummus once you make your own creation. You'll be amazed at how fast you leave that scared "dry bean novice" cook behind to embrace all the possibilities. And now that you've joined the legume bandwagon, spread the word to other folks, and see if you can't start your own revolution! - 17274
About the Author:
If you have not enjoyed Cajun-style cooking, you may not know how delicious a simple Cajun Red Beans and Rice dish can be. It doesn't take long to fall in love with this delicious dish. Once smitten, you'll want to try the Spicy Italian Beans and Rice for a little something different, too.
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