beans
Easy Black Eyed Peas with Mushrooms
02/12/10 Filed in: Beans
The following recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey and her book, Indian Cooking. This cookbook was a very thoughtful gift from my sister-in-law who paid attention to my musings about my interest in Indian food.
After I discovered a little Indian restaurant in my neighborhood, I really fell in love with the cuisine. The combinations of spices and foods, the curries, the sauces, all of it fills me with warmth. I love the smells, the textures, and the gentle heat from the peppers or ginger.
If you have the time, it is worth it to start this recipe from dried beans. I made it easy by using Eden canned black eyed peas. Using dried beans does not make a recipe more difficult, but is does lengthen the cooking time. You can use any brand of canned black eyed peas, but Eden is the only brand that does not line their cans of beans with BPA.
Black eyed peas are a great source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. In addition, black eyed peas provide calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, as well as iron, zinc, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate, vitamin A, and pantothenic acid.
The tomatoes in the recipe add a good source of lycopene, the onions and garlic add a host of phytochemicals which eliminate free radicals, cinnamon helps the body regulate sugar, cumin seeds are a good source of iron, and I could go on and on.... The point is, that all the ingredients culminate in a dish full of useful and available nutrition.
Ingredients List:
3 cans of Eden black eyed peas, drained
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
6 tablespoons of oilve oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, chopped
Put the oil in a sauce pan. When hot, add the cinnamon and cumin, and sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onion begins to brown.
Add the mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms wilt.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
Stir together and reduce heat to low and cook for ten minutes.
Add the cans of black eyed peas, and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
Serve with rice as an entre or side. Enjoy over a baked potato. This recipe will keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for several months.
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
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In Honor of Beans
02/10/10 Filed in: Beans
About 80% of the food I eat, I make myself. Yes, I have a fulltime job with an hour commute, so I do not have a corner on time. However, I am commited to having control over what goes into my body. This means that I cook. I don't cook everyday, but, just like that old adage..... don't cook hard, cook smart.
I make dishes that "age." In other words, they get better the second and third day, I also plan for leftovers, sometimes freezing those "planned-overs" for the night I can't bring myself to lift a pot. There is always a second or third meal from every pasta dish, soups are made big and hearty to stand in place of a meal or freeze for another day, and I make a lot of pulses.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, pulses are legumes which are soley harvested for dry grains. Among the list are kidney beans, azuki beans, mung beans, chickpeas, pigeon peas, lentil, and black gram. Some beans are eaten both fresh and dried such as black eyed peas, and lima beans.
Beans in general are often an overlooked source of powerful nutrition. They contribute folate, calcium, protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. They also contain very little fat. Studies have shown that while all beans are nutritious, the darker the bean, the more antioxidants.
Many people avoid beans due to their tendency to produce flatulence. This is due to a sugar in the beans called raffinose which creates gas pockets in the large intestine as it's digested. There are several easy solutions to this delimena. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the beans while soaking or cooking will reduce the gas produced and will not impact the flavor. Also, several spices will break down the raffinose while adding great flavor; fennel, cilantro, tumeric, anise, rosemary, or bayleaf. Lastly, you can take an exzyme product such as Bean-O. Of course, you could always practice blaming it on your dog..... poor Vegas.
Beans are flexible. A batch of beans can be eated with rice, can be topped on a baked potato, added to a green salad, rolled in a wrap, or eated as a side. The possibilities rival that of peanut butter. You can make Indian inspired beans, italian seasoned beans, or spicy Texas beans. No matter what you tastes, the humble bean can take it on. Beans can even be dessert as is evidenced by these delicious black bean brownies.
With that said, I have decided to do a series of bean dishes. Discussing their contribution to good nutrition and good budgeting. (I forgot to mention that beans are a really inexpensive food source that can sit in your cupboard for a long time. The only beans I have ever thrown away, has been those that I burned so badly, they were not worth saving.) So grab your Bean-O and let's get started!
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.