Beans, beans, beans

zombiecazz

Just thought I had to share my joy of beans!!:j

A while back I had a go at a detox diet (I may have mentioned this somewhere else). I cut out red meat and dairy products, and then I cut out eggs and chicken. I must admit that I felt less bloated and generally more healthy. But alas it all became a bit boring for me.

I have kept up on the missing out dairy though which has, made me feel alot lighter (even though the scales still remain the same).

Oh yes my point......the detox diet suggested supplementing my intake with beans/legumes to add protien. I took this onboard and and still do it. I find that I use beans heaps and it stretches out meals.
Like the other day my OH made some chilli using pork mince, bulked out with a tin of red kidney beans and a tin of chickpeas. We ate this with pita bread (no rice) that evening. Next day I made enchilladas (with the left over chilli) by adding 3 lidl totillas (down to 39p atm), some cheese and a homemade tomato sauce. We ate this with some garlic bread. Finally on the third day there was enough left to do us both a hearty lunch with a little salad.

Normally the pork mince chilli would only last one night with alittle left over for one persons lunch the next day.

So everybody buy beans.
Use them in: soup, salads, casseroles, mince dishes and my all time favourite homemade houmus.
Basic Houmus recipe: a tin of drained chickpeas, juice of one lemon, 2 tbsp tahini (can use peanut butter, but only add 1 tbsp), salt and pepper, 2 cloves of garlic. Blend ingredients together and add olive oil slowly until you have the right consistency. If your not keen on lemon then put less in. Try adding fresh herbs like parsley, sage, basil, lemon thyme or grilled red pepper (lidls to large jars of this which is delicious)

Anyway I think I've rambled long enough. Just wanted to say that beans are healthy and a cheap way to make your meals go further.:o

helen81_2

which beans are best and more value for money? Tinned or packets of dried beans?

zombiecazz

I use both. Dried are cheaper, but I always have tinned chickpeas, red kidney beans and butterbeans in the cupboard. They're all approx 22p a tin.I like to use dried cannellini, black and soya beans. Remember when you soak them they swell up quite a bit so for a cup of beans soak a litle less than a cup.

Chell

I use loads of tinned beans, I know they are more expensive but they are so quick/easy to use.

We are all veggie in this house so I like to include beans in our meals for iron/protein. Veggie chilli is lovely with mashed potato and cheese on top, a bit like a veggie shepherds pie.

mirakl

I always throw a tin of baked beans into any tomato based recipie like lasagne or chilli or bolognaise. You can use the cheapest on the market and they beef it up loads.

I've recently discovered black eye beans which are just lush and I use them at every available opportunity now too. They also make a really nice bean salad and cost so little because I buy them dried.

abbecer

Another meal which is delicious and cheap is: fry mince and onion till browned, add tin of baked beans and any other bits you may fancy ie worcester sauce etc. Can be topped with mash and cheese, my favourite is with oven chips and brown sauce. Yummy!! Guess what i'm having for tea today??

Rebecca x:rotfl:

oops_a_daisy

I do a nice bean soup/stew with the packs of dried mixed beans from Julian Graves. I soak the beans overnight and then boil for 10 mins. Fry off an onion in a pan and when soft I add the beans, a tin of tomatoes, couple of crushed garlic gloves, squirt of tomato puree ( or tomato sauce if out of puree ), a dash of lea and perrins and 2 oxo cubes in 1 litre of boiling water. Simmer for 40 mins and serve with HM bread or with dumplings and veg. I know its not veggie with the oxo cubes and worcestershire sauce but perhaps a veggie could suggest something else ? This does make quite a hearty soup/stew. My daughter has a little saying for beans - it goes like this

beans, beans
good for your heart
the more you eat them
the more you f*** :rotfl:

AussieLass

In the morning, wash the beans. Then place them in the amount of water needed for cooking them. Let them soak all day. Before going to bed, place them in the freezer. The freezing process breaks up the starch molecules.

Cook them in the same water that is now ice, but do not add salt. Use meat tenderizer that contains papain, which comes from papaya (paw paw). Look in your spice section at the supermarket.

This will stop any flatus or gas which occurs after you've eaten beans. :rolleyes:

Ted_Hutchinson

While I always have a selection of beans in tins available I prefer to soak overnight and pressure cook them. Details of times here Miss Vicky pressure cooker information
Asian Cash and Carry's are the best place to by 2kg bags of pulses for less than £2. They keep a long time and work out a fraction of Supermarket prices.

Swan_2

oops_a_daisy wrote:

I know its not veggie with the oxo cubes and worcestershire sauce but perhaps a veggie could suggest something else ?

I'm not a veggie but for years now I've use soy sauce in place of stock cubes & it works very well

check the labels before you buy though, some brands have additives you might not want to be ingesting. best places for choice & good prices are Asian, Halal or Chinese shops/supermarkets

MinnieSpender

I use Marigold powder instead of stock cubes which is lovely. A little goes a long way and it's veggie too. They also do a vegan version.