Cooking beans is a completely no-lift way to add amazing food to your diet. It's an investment of time, only, because there is teeny amount of work involved.
The best possible pot of beans starts from great beans, and then moves to brining. Then slowly cooking, and you have an amazing array of options ahead of you. Sounds like a lot of work? It's not, mostly because it's 95% hands-off, and just a pot of lovely smells on the back of the stove. These are an amazing Meatless Monday meal, plus, they are a fabulous addition to dishes later in the week: salads, grain bowls, as a side, mashed into a dip... want me to go on?
My favorite dried beans come from Rancho Gordo, but there are any number of great dried bean options out there. And yes, the ones on your grocery shelf are also a good option. The cooking time will vary on the type of bean and then the age of the beans.
Pot o' beans
Ingredients
1 pound beans, your favorite kind
2 T salt
pinch sugar
dried herbs and flavorings (suggestions might include bay leaf, cumin seeds, chili flakes, a dash or two of aleppo flakes, a couple green cardamom pods, rosemary spring, etc)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, quartered lengthwise, and then chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. The night before you are planning to make your beans, put the dried beans in a large bowl, cover plus add up to 3 inches more with water. Add the salt and sugar, and swish everything around until the salt and sugar dissolve. Cover, and set aside on your counter overnight.
2. When you're ready to cook, drain the beans. Add the beans to a large pot, plus water to cover plus 2 inches of water. Add whatever seasonings you like. Bring the pot to boil, reduce heat and let simmer until al dente (check your package, but often up to an hour). Add salt to taste, and pepper. Continue to simmer until soft but not falling apart.
3. Now the sky is the limit: you can eat there fresh, as a side, as a main. You can add veggies. You can add these to a bowl concoction. You can freeze them. You can blend them into a dip. You can make them into a salad.
Note: If you are not making them into a stew, don't through away the cooking liquid. Pour it into a bag or a container and freeze to add to your next pot of soup or stew.
Enjoy!
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