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.

Bulk Foods Misconception

There is sometimes a bulk food misconception that I want to address. You do not have to purchase in bulk quantities in order to shop in the bulk section. I think the word bulk can be misleading. Sometimes people think of bulk as shopping at Costco or Sam's Club, loading your cart up with huge quantities that you are not going to know what to do with when you get home. Stores that have a bulk section, purchase items in large quantities, but don't require that you do the same. This allows us to purchase an item at a reduced price. This saves the supplier money, time, and hassle by not having to package items in smaller quantities. Sometimes the packaging can cost as much as the actual contents.

Having the freedom to purchase an item in a desired quantity gives us the opportunity to try new things. I have walked out of Good Earth and WinCo many times with bulk food that I had never tried before in small amounts, so I could take it home, figure out how to use it, and see if I like it. Sometimes stores will offer a further price reduction on items if purchased in the large bulk bag. I believe WinCo takes 10% off an item if purchased in the 25-lb or 50-lb bag.  Also, every few months Good Earth will have a stack of 50-lb bags, generally of 6-grain or 9-grain "cereal" for roughly $25. That's only .50/lb compared to at least $1.00/lb price that is sold in the bulk containers. If you know how to use it and can store a large quantity, go for it. Before buying the 25 lb bag,  it is best to know what you are taking home.   I've seen Good Earth sell their multigrain "cereal" in the steel cut form as well as the rolls oats form. It would be disappointing to take home multi-grain cereal, assuming it was breakfast cereal where you just add milk.

On the other hand, you can purchase food in bulk quantities that are not in the bulk food section.  If something is on sale and the price is not a typical sale price, I do buy large quantities of it. Generally during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, black olives go on sale. Sale prices on black olives are frequent throughout the year, but during the holiday season, the price seems to be less. Last year I was able to pick up several cans of Black Pearls brand for .49 each. This year, the best price I've seen so far was generic for .59 each. 

Last year, Sunflower Farmer's Market had a fantastic price on asparagus.  Asparagus is loaded with nutrients and my family loves it, so I like to buy it when I can, but the price can put a cramp in the budget if I'm not careful.  Sunflower Market happened to have it on sale for .69/lb.  In my area, this price is insane. When I went to the store, I noticed the stocker was filling the display with asparagus and had several cases on his cart.  I asked if I could buy a whole case and without hesitation, he put one in my cart.  The asparagus was in perfect condition.  It was young and tender, with not many woody stalks at all.  I brought the case home, washed, cut and bagged the asparagus into gallon size freezer bags to store in my freezer and use throughout the year.

My Story

There are different ways of saving money on groceries. I have used coupons and still do occasionally, but with change in how my family eats, I have found that buying food in bulk or buying food in the bulk sections of my local grocery stores have brought us the best savings.

Being a stay at home mom & wife of a teacher has given me the opportunity to look outside the box. I wanted a healthier lifestyle for my family, but I didn’t want to break the budget doing it. I wanted to incorporate more whole grains and less meat along with healthier options for my children without the additives.  Initially, the terms organic and unrefined meant expensive.  I didn’t know how I would be able to manage a frugal budget with the prices I saw at the store, but with research and patience, I am succeeding.

For us, the key to a frugal, but healthy lifestyle is creating food from scratch. I buy my produce, grains, beans, and herbs at the best price I can find, so I can still buy the specialty items we use, which  are never on sale, and generally carry a higher price tag.  Winco and Costco are among my top local stores for bulk purchases, with Mountain Rose Herbs being one of my top choices for online purchases.