Today is the first installment of a new series of posts called "Ingredient of the Week". We'll be showcasing a favorite ingredient and providing tips and tricks on how the ingredient can be used. From a unique spice to power-packed protein, we hope you follow our posts and give one of these ingredients a try next time you're in the kitchen!
Dry (white) beans
Have you wanted to use dry beans but didn't know what to do with them? Have you wanted to incorporate more beans or vegetarian dishes in your diet but was unsure where to start? This post will help answer those questions.
It's easy to grab a can of beans at the grocery store, but have you thought about preparing them yourself? It saves money, helps the environment (no more cans), and is convenient...which saves you time. Dry beans can be purchased at supermarkets, health food stores, and specialty stores and come pre-packaged or in bulk. Many varieties of beans can be found in dry form, including black, pinto, and red. But today I'm going to focus on white beans, specifically Navy beans.
The easiest way (I have found) to cook dry beans is to use a crock pot. They cook overnight and are ready in the morning for recipes or to freeze. This is the step-by-step process that I use (thanks to Super Healthy Kids):
Rinse and drain 3 cups dry (white) beans and place in your crock pot. Cover with 2 inches of water and set pot to low. Cook for 6-8 hours (any longer and beans will turn into mush). Drain and rinse.
3 cups dry beans = approximately 8 cups cooked beans
When the beans are ready, I portion them out and set some aside in the fridge and the rest for the freezer. I like to make 1.5 cup portions as that is the amount in a typical 14 oz can. I will keep 1-2 can's worth in the fridge for the day/week's meals and then store the rest in quart-size bags in the freezer.
Last week I made 3 cups of dry navy beans. I like navy beans because they're small, mild, and versatile. Here's what I made using my cooked beans:
Sweet (bean) waffles. This recipe is on our blog and I love that it's delicious AND healthy!
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| Sweet bean waffle ingredients in the blender |
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| Waffle topped with almond butter, chocolate granola, and peaches |
Smoothie. We love smoothies that taste good and are good for you. This one has a punch of protein and fiber from the beans, but it's undetected. This smoothie could be a stand-alone breakfast or added to your morning meal.
Smoothie ingredients include: almond milk, mixed greens, flaxseed, cucumber, carrot, date, peanut butter, banana, navy beans, and ice
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| Green smoothies served in mason jars |
Crock pot Soup/Stew. The original inspiration for this stew came from a crock pot cookbook, but I've since made it into my own by using pantry ingredients on hand. This week's dish turned into a soup rather than a stew, which was fine because it was still tasty!
Crock pot soup ingredients include: 2 cans black beans, 1 can white beans, 1 can petite diced tomatoes, 1 jar pasta sauce, 1 box veggie broth, 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 cup peas, and 1/2 cup brown rice. Note: Add salt and seasonings as preferred. All ingredients in the crock pot, set to low, cook for 8-10 hours or overnight. Top with cheese (optional).
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| Crock pot soup paired with peas and puffed kamut |
As you can see, there are many nutritious and delicious uses for dry (white) beans. I cook a variety of white beans in addition to navy (cannellini and great northern), as well as black beans. Dry black beans cook the same way in the crock pot and are just as versatile throughout the day. If you have access to a crock pot, I encourage you to grab a bag of dry beans and try them out!
Additional meal options using white beans include:
Chicken & Dumplings (the vegetarian version swaps white beans for chicken!)
Pockets of Goodness
Pasta Sauce
Tossed in a salad
Added to pastas, macaroni & cheese
Included in a soup
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