Beans have been used as a food source for thousands of years and have been known in the past as food for the poor. While they are a great source of protein, minerals, B vitamins, and anticancer agents, if they aren’t properly prepared, they can cause a lot of physical discomfort and mineral loss in our bodies. The anti-nutrients in beans will pull minerals out of the intestinal tract like magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron which are then eliminated through the waste system if they are not neutralized.
The good news is that we can still enjoy our beans and make them a healthy choice instead of a painful one. We simply start with good quality, organic dried beans and cover them with warm water for 12 to 24 hours (for black beans we will need to add something acidic like lemon juice, whey, or apple cider vinegar). After this soaking time, we simply drain and rinse the beans, cook them in a pot with enough water to cover the beans, and bring them to a boil. It’s important to skim off any foam that rises to the top (although sometimes I forget), then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 4 to 8 hours (sometimes it will take less). Low and slow is key to cooking beans. I like to make a large amount at once and then freeze the extra in quart-sized Ziplock bags.
In order to save money and keep some extra food in our pantry, we purchase organic beans in 25-pound bags. I always have black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, and lentils (another member of the legume family) on hand so we can make a wide variety of recipes. When you compare what we would pay for these beans in a can, the savings and health benefits are very significant.
What is your favorite way to use beans? We love to hear from you!
Our family has learned to slow down, make careful observations of what heals/damages, get rid of the distractions, take a little more time preparing our food, and most importantly to seek the Lord’s wisdom. It’s a daily struggle and it never goes perfectly, but we just keep trying to do the best we can. If you are working toward a more traditional, clean, whole foods diet, and would like to take small steps to get there, then you are at the right place. Week one was get your salt right, week 2 was get your sleep right, weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were get your fats right, we had several weeks about seasonings and herbs, some important discussion about natural sweeteners, talked about Forgiveness, hopefully we got our eggs right, learned about the benefits of pastured, clean meats, considered getting mercury removed, we got the toxins out of our mouth, skin, and hair, made some changes in our cleaning routines, we talked about raw milk, learned about vegetables and fruits, fermentation, clean water and the benefits of water, the benefits of getting outside, the importance of properly preparing nuts, and this week we are talking about beans. Join us next Tuesday for Get Your . . . Right.