HEARTY BEAN STEW WITH VEGETABLES
c. Jane and Lino Stanchich
Beans have a soul. – Pythagoras
Home cooked beans are served in our home every day! They are so worth it! We love the energy and satisfaction they provide, and the way they strengthen the kidneys. Prepare very digestible and delicious beans/legumes cooked with sweet vegetables and sea vegetables for highest plant-based nutrients. See our tip for truly digestible gas-free beans! Links at bottom have ingredient resources.
- 1 cup aduki, pintos, or lentils
- 3 cups water (add twice-see below)
- 2 inch piece kombu sea vegetable, soaked, and sliced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 carrots or parsnips, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon GOLD sea salt www.greatlifeglobal.com/shop
Sort and wash beans. Add water and soak 8 hours. Discard soak water. Add 3 more cups fresh water. Bring beans to low boil and skim/discard foam that may form on top of beans. Add kombu, onion, and bay leaves.
Cover and cook on low boil for 20 minutes; check water level occasionally and be sure water is just to the top of the beans.* Add carrots and continue cooking. Boil beans until they are tender, approximately 30 minutes more. Check to make sure water is at top of beans. (Cook approximately 1 hour total, more if needed.) Remove and discard bay leaves! Add sea salt, stir. Cook 15 more minutes.
*We find it useful to set a timer every 15 minutes to check water in beans.
Add celery and sweet winter squash to make a great variety combination. Add oil for richness and heat, or add seitan or smoked tofu for extra flavor and protein.
Add herbs or spice of your choice: Cilantro, garlic, cumin, turmeric, rosemary, Italian herb mix. Discuss with your family what flavors they like.
NOTE: Chickpeas are best pressure cooked according to directions. We often pressure cook our beans, (approximately 30 minutes,) except for aduki beans, especially in the winter for greater strength and warmth. We will present pressure cooking of beans in later recipes. By a pressure cooker, then email us for recipes you want and need!
DIGESTING BEANS: OK, if you keep getting “bad” gas from eating beans, even after soaking them, skimming the foam, cooking them with kombu, and salting them, just take a simple digestive enzyme just before eating them. Does the trick. Now you can enjoy plant proteins for greater health and ecology!
LINKS FOR GREAT FOOD BARGAINS at NATURAL LIFESTYLES SUPPLIES:
Miso | http://www.natural-lifestyle.com/Whole_Foods/Miso/miso.html
Beans only aduki ... until find new source of certified organic | http://www.natural-lifestyle.com/Whole_Foods/Baking_Supplies/Barley/Beans/beans.html
Kombu | http://www.natural-lifestyle.com/Whole_Foods/Sea_Veggies/sea_veggies.html