These little fuckers should wear capes. Packed with iron, protein, folate and dietary fiber, few foods can match the boon that is beans. They’re also rich in other vitamins, minerals and yes folks, they contain the full array and amount of amino acids. Combine them with rice and you’ve got yourself a complex carbohydrate—and a meal that’s eaten the world over. Plus they make you fart.
What more could one ask for? Well fancy you should ask. I buy my beans dry rather than canned—either in bulk or pre-measured packs—and I do this for several good reasons.
- Weight. I bike. To work. To friends’ houses. To the grocery store. Canned beans are packed in that weird goo, not to mention…a can. Both of these things are HEAVY. Bagged beans are dehydrated, so I get more for the weight. After soaking, reconstituting, and cooking, beans nearly triple in mass. Amazing.
- Cost. This is somewhat related to reason one. A bag of beans and can of beans weighing roughly the same also cost roughly the same where I shop. In fact, usually exactly the same. Even in bulk they’re close. The dried will yield about 2½ more in mass than the canned. Et, voilà. Pound for pound, beans are some of the cheapest natural protein in the world.
- Storage. I keep them bagged or in a sealed container. They take up less space than a can and generally last longer. Were I to stockpile dried, I could use them in whatever quantity I wanted. Try that with a can.
- Processing. I like knowing how my food is prepared and I like buying it with the least amount of processing possible. This is how beans should get to my mouth:
- Grow beans
- Harvest beans
- Dehydrate beans
- Package beans
- Transport
That’s my sort of bean. None of that aforementioned goo. That the fuck is that shit anyway? Were I to grow them, I could eliminate the last three steps—maybe someday, but I’m not quite there yet.
Hopefully I’ve convinced you to at least give beans a chance. You might be tempted to give peas a chance too, but beans would give that legume a lashing of a lifetime. No offense, Mr. Lennon. I’ll post some bean recipes soon. If you’ve got a recipe or ideas to share, email me. If enough are submitted, I’ll try to post something in a similar vein.
Most versatile bean?
How long, on average, do dry beans last?
What is the best method to reconstitute said dry beans? Any tips?
I’ve never liked beans. I think its something about the texture that really throws me off. I have an idea for our get together… you cook something with beans that will make me love them!
Sam — Most versatile? Depends. They last at least a year in a sealed container if dry. I like kidney beans (white or red), but the differences between most beans are subtle. Most beans—kidney beans especially—need to be soaked for 8 or so hours, with several changes of water. Afterwards they need to be cooked—I usually do this for an hour minimum. The first time I did this I tried them after soaking and got severe gas. Turns out there’s a toxin that needs to be leeched out and cooked away moreso in kidney beans than any other variety.
Chris — Sounds like a great plan. I love cooking challenges! I’ll call you soon!
beans-biking-barbara kingsolver.
this was my mantra for a good two years. i wish yoga started with a “b.” 🙁 anyway, my mantra nowadays is “caffeine is not an adequate substitute for sleep.” i think it’s helping to recite that often to myself. it’s keeping me happy.
the first time i ever opened a can of beans i remember being confused by all the slime. what the hell was it?!? the first time i tried canned refried beans i up and vomited when i looked at the label and found that it contained LARD, along with many other things i couldn’t pronounce. that was not a good day.
have you ever made refried beans? it’s really fun and easy. give it a try.