Really, You're Vegan? What do you do for Protein?

Tired of Thanksgiving leftovers, my hubby and I ate out 2 nights in a row during the weekend following the holiday. After all the planning and hub bub involved in preparing a huge feast for the holiday, I am tired of cooking and depleted of the energy and inspiration to be creative in the kitchen. Blah! I think...the mess, the work, the chopping, the wine drinking! Let's just eat out again!

But then I look in the refrigerator and can't help but notice all the food that's in there, waiting to turn all colors of the rainbow as it morphs into something even my dog wouldn't eat.  I realize I have to cook some of it or face the terrible guilt I feel each time I have to throw food out. Noting that I have some cooked black beans in the freezer, I decide that I actually have the taste for my old reliable three part meal, rice, beans and a green vegetable.

It is a win, win, win. type of meal. Everyone in the family likes it, it's undoubtedly nutritious, contains all the food groups and is easy to prepare. After all the rich and varied foods and flavors of the holiday, it is so nice to get back to something simple. And it works perfectly to mix and match any whole grain with any type of beans and your favorite green vegetable. This meal also makes great leftovers for breakfast, lunch or dinner the next day.

 It is best to cook your own beans, for the freshness and so you have control of the taste. As I wrote in an earlier post, it is easy to make a huge pot of beans and freeze them. Then, at times like these when you may be a little desperate for ideas and ingredients, you can just pull some beans out of the freezer and whip them up into something hardy and nutritious.

Beans are very versatile and are easily made into soups, stews, dips, pattys or casseroles. They can have a creamy texture and can be seasoned to produce an endless variety of flavors. Latin, Soul, Italian, Indian, American, African, Caribbean, and even French recipes for all sorts of bean dishes abound.

The beginning of winter is a perfect time to stock your freezer with a variety of your favorite legumes. My most favorite is black beans and I also like to have a supply of cooked garbanzos, and white beans (like cannelloni or great northern) on hand. Pinto and kidney beans are great to have at the ready as well. This makes the possibility of throwing together a 3 Bean Chile an easy potential reality . 

I cook my beans in water and freeze them unseasoned. That way, you can season them as you need them according to whatever recipe you are making. It is important to freeze foods safely and properly so they retain their flavor and moisture. For ideas on freezing methods and types of recommended freezer containers, you can go to this website:  http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/freezing-food/  or get a copy of The Green Kitchen Handbook by Annie Berthold-Bond.

 To prepare the beans for cooking, spread them out on a large tray or cookie sheet. Remove any wrinkled up beans or little stones and then pour the beans into a  pot and rinse them in a few changes of water. Put them in a pot and cover them with 3 inches of water and let them soak overnight. Before cooking them, disguard the soaking water, rinse the beans again and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring the pot to a boil and then simmer, covered for the designated amount of time. Different types of beans will require varied cooking times and you can find this information in many different vegetarian cookbooks or on the internet.
I will often let the beans soak in water on a Saturday night and then start cooking them up when I get up on Sunday morning. You can let the beans bubble away while you sip your morning coffee and read your morning paper.
 Some cooks recommend cooking beans with kombu, a sea vegetable that enhances the flavor and nutrients in cooked beans as well as makes them more digestible (as in less gas producing). I have not yet tried this but I will soon and I'll get back to you with "my findings" on the "gasometer".

One of my favorite preparations for black beans is Robbie Robertson's "Cuban Black Beans". This is a bit spicy, and it is very hardy and warming and I love it with Basmatii Rice and any green veggie. Broccoli sauteed in olive oil and garlic is a family favorite. I usually double this recipe.

Cuban Black Beans

1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 medium Onion finely chopped
1 small Carrot finely chopped
1 small Red Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 14.5 oz can diced Tomatoes
1-1/2 cups cooked Black Beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
1/4 cup minced Scallions
1 Tbs chopped fresh Parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper and garlic. Cover and cook till softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except the parley) and simmer for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are saucy. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot, garnished with parsley.

Enjoy.
Luv to you all,
R







.