Summer barbecues give family and friends a chance to reconnect with
each other, nature and foods that bring together a crowd. Watermelon,
hamburgers, corn on the cob and popsicles – they all represent
summer, whether in the backyard or down the shore. Another summer
staple is beans, a delicious side dish and healthy option all seasons long!
Beans are simple to prepare and can be used in soups, salads and
sides. A few basics about beans:
• 1 pound of dry beans=5 to 6 cups cooked beans plus 2 to 3 cups liquid
• 1 can of beans=1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups cooked beans plus ½ to ¾ cup liquid
• 1 pound of dry beans=3 to 4 cans of beans
To speed up cooking time, soaking dried beans overnight in a bowl
of cold water will help soften them and bring cooking time down to about
an hour. However, many people do not soak dried beans and simply cook
them until they are soft, adding water as necessary. Depending on how
old the dried beans are, cooking times can vary. Older beans take longer
the beans cooking more evenly. Cooking times vary, of course, as will the
size and texture of the beans.
As every vegan is aware, beans are the best source of a vegetable protein.
Dry beans are the richest source of protein – 21 to 27 percent when
cooked. However, the protein they contain is incomplete. They usually
contain eight amino acids, missing something called methionine, which
50 JULY 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
Let’s Talk About
Beans
BY MARYANN MIANO
BEAN-PEBBLED PAELLA
• ½ cup cooked chickpeas, plus cooking liquid
• ½ cup cooked dark red kidney beans, plus cooking liquid
• ½ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed, liquid discarded
• About 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup diced piquillo peppers or 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• ½ pound boneless ham, diced
• 3 cups rinsed and thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves and stalks (about
½ bunch)
Recipe from “Beans: More than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from Around the World,” by Aliza Green
• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons pimenton or paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups short-grain rice, such as arborio, callasparra or bomba
• Salt and black pepper to taste
is plentiful in grains. Grains lack tryptophan and lysine, which are found
in beans. The marriage of beans with foods like rice or nuts will give the
complete protein needed when eating beans.
Soybeans have the highest protein of any plant (35 percent) and are
the only legume to contain all nine essential amino acids needed to form
a complete protein. Peanuts are not far behind, coming in at 20 to 30
percent protein (and no, they are not a nut at all).
Beans are a high-energy food with a low to moderate glycemic index,
full of complex carbohydrates, which are digested more slowly that
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Beans are rich in vitamins and minerals, containing high amounts
of B vitamins and folate (important for pregnant women). Beans are high
potassium, zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium.
There are hundreds of varieties of beans with distinctive qualities,
colors and textures, so experiment with them in your recipes. Try the following
colorful dish to get off to a good start. You can turn it vegetarian
by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock, eliminate the ham,
increase the beans to ¾ cup of each variety, and increase the pimenton to
1 tablespoon and the cumin to 1 ½ teaspoons.
1. Preheat gas oven to 425° or an electric oven to 450° F.
2. Drain the chickpeas and kidney beans, reserving their liquid. Rinse
the chickpeas and kidney beans and mix with the drained black
beans. Combine the reserved bean liquids in a medium pot with
enough chicken stock to make 4 cups. Bring the liquid to the boil,
turn off the heat, add the saffron, and reserve.
3. Heat the oil in a paella pan over medium heat. Add the scallions,
garlic, peppers, and ham, and saute until the chiles are slightly softened.
Add the Swiss chard, tomato and parsley, and cook 1 to 2 minutes
longer; then stir in the pimento and cumin.
4. Stir in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the reserved
hot chicken stock mixture and bring to a boil. Add the beans
and the salt and black pepper to taste. Continue to boil, stirring and
rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy, about
5 minutes.
5. Transfer the paella pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 12 to 15
minutes in a gas oven or 15 to 20 minutes in an electric oven, until
the rice is almost al dente and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove
to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes,
/TheJournalNJ.com