Making Dry Bean Blends

Bean Blends:     

Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and can be used in many ways.  Dry beans are not only cheaper than canned, but the sodium content can be more controlled.  Either way, canned and dried beans are both good to have on hand. I use the dried beans most of the time, but for those last minute meals, canned beans are very convenient.

Bean blends are easy to make yourself as long as you understand the variances in cooking times with different types of beans.

Beans That Are Similar in Cooking Times-

Group 1:

• Adzuki
• Anasazi
• Black-eyed Peas
• Cannellini
• Cranberry
• Fava
• Green Split Peas
• Lima Beans, small
• Pink

Group 2:

• Black Beans
• Cannellini
• Navy
• Red Beans

Group 3:

• Kidney
• Great Northern
• Mung
• Pinto
• Whole Green Peas

Soaking Your Beans:

The biggest complaint from preparing dried beans is the amount of time it takes to soak them. You can put your beans right into the crock-pot or use a fast soak method, but the overnight soaking method will give you the best results.

Soaking Beans is Beneficial-

• Helps to remove the complex sugars and toxins, minimizing gas 
• Gives you a shorter cooking time
• Beans cook more evenly when soaked 

Sometimes lentils are added to bean soup blends.  I am not a big fan of this. Lentils don’t take nearly as long to cook as beans, so adding lentils to dried beans may result in mushy lentils. If you like the mixture of beans and lentils, french green lentils are a good choice. They take a little longer to cook than the standard lentils and they hold their shape better.

Whole grains are excellent to add to your bean blends.  Adding whole grains help get different nutrients into your diet while adding flavor and texture to the dish.  Whole grains will give you a hearty, nutty texture, making them great for stew and chili. 

Tips:

-        Try to plan your bean blends around their cooking times. Combining beans with similar cooking times will result in a more evenly cooked blend.

-        Always rinse the beans after soaking them.

-        Adding a little oil to your beans and lentils while cooking them will not only reduce the amount of foam, but will also help hold their shape better.

-        Do not add salt or acidic ingredients until after the beans are cooked.

Whole Grain and Bean Blend-

2-3 parts each of any combination of beans (Group 1: black, navy, pink, adzuki ) (Group 2: red, pinto, black, garbanzo)

1 part whole oat groats

1 part brown rice or barley

1 part wheat berries (hard red or white)

1 part grain or combination of grains (triticale, kamut, buckwheat, rye)

½ part flax or sesame seeds (optional)

Just remember from my "Lentils" post that the amounts listed are merely suggestions. Adjust the amounts and the ingredients to your personal preference.