by Peggy Kingery, from the December 1999 Newsletter

If ever there was a food in need of a good public relations campaign, it's the humble bean. Beans have been cultivated around the world since ancient times, but they lack the culinary status they should have, given how versatile and nutrient-dense they are. Besides being served in soups, stews, and salads, beans can be ground into flour, roasted as a beverage, processed into cooking oil, or fermented and made into a variety of condiments and seasonings. Combined with whole grains, they provide all the essential amino acids needed by the body. In addition, they are high in soluble fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamin, niacin, and vitamin E. Although they contain only modest amounts of vitamin A, beans contain phosphatides that increase the absorption of betacarotene, the precursor to A. The fat in beans is unsaturated and cholesterol-free.

For the macrobiotic diet, beans and bean products (tofu, tempeh, etc.) are eaten daily or several times a week and comprise 5-10% of daily food intake. Beans that are northerly in origin, small in size, and low in fat (such as azukis, lentils, and chickpeas) are eaten more frequently than larger beans (pintos, kidneys, limas, etc.). There are dozens of bean varieties to choose from, but I'd like to focus on the ones common in macrobiotic cooking and available at the Co-op. Soybeans, and the numerous products made from this nutrition powerhouse, deserve an article of their own. Look for it in next month's "Macro Musings."

Azuki (Adzuki) beans: Small, oblong, and reddish-brown in color, with a white line along the ridge, they contain less fat than other beans and can be served as a side dish, in soup, cooked with grains, and sweetened as a dessert. They have a light, nutty flavor that adapts to both sweet and savory dishes.

Black-eyed peas: Native to Africa, these beans are medium sized, oblong, and have an irregular dark purple circle on their light surface. They have an earthy flavor and a smooth, buttery texture.

Black turtle beans: Small to medium in size, round, and black, with a white line along the ridge, these are a member of the kidney bean family and have an earthy flavor reminiscent of mushrooms.

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans): This light yellow, nut-like bean is small and compact. They have a full-bodied, rich flavor similar to chestnuts with a bit of a crunch. Chickpeas can be prepared in numerous dishes but are perhaps best known as a paste called "hummus."

Kidney beans: These come in a multitude of shades, shapes, and sizes but are most commonly medium-sized and red in color. They have a full-bodied taste and rich, creamy texture.

Lima beans: Limas come in two sizes. One type is large, flat, and kidney-shaped and white to light green in color. This bean has a creamy, slightly starchy taste. The other type is known as "baby limas" or "butter beans" and is smaller with a more buttery flavor.

Lentils: There are many varieties of lentils, the two most common being the Middle Eastern and the Indian. The Middle Eastern is green to brown in color, whereas the Indian is orange to red. Both are soft and need no soaking to cook up quickly. Red (decorticated or "skinned") lentils tends to dissolve into the broth in which they're cooked, while brown (whole) lentils keep their shape. Both types add an earthy flavor to soups, stews, and salads.

Pinto beans: Medium-sized, oval, and usually pinkish-brown in color with a freckled pattern, these are most often served as refried beans. They have an earthy, full bodied flavor and a mealy texture.

It's common knowledge that beans tend to ... um, ... make one's lower digestive tract a bit "rumbly." There are several ways of making beans more socially acceptable. Some things which influence digestibility include proper cooking and combining of ingredients, thorough chewing, proper seasoning, and eating them in a moderate amount and not too late at night. A small piece of soaked, diced kombu (about 3 inches) will soften and make more digestible an entire pot of beans. Soaking beans for several hours or overnight before cooking will also help. Small beans, because they have less fat and protein than large beans, are easier to digest. In addition to cooking beans with kombu, cooking without the lid on for a few minutes and skimming off the foam will also increase digestibility.

In macrobiotic cooking, boiling is the most common way of preparing beans. Pressure cooking, however, can reduce total cooking time by as much as 50% and is also used. Baking is another popular method. Cooking times depend on the size of the bean and how long they were soaked. Beans may be seasoned with sea salt, miso, or shoyu: 10-20 minutes before the end of cooking for salt and 3-4 minutes for miso and shoyu. As a rule, macrobiotic cooks don't add spices to beans.

With holiday preparations filling our already busy days with even more activities, cooking a healthy and satisfying meal may get pushed down to the bottom of our "to do" lists. This recipe is simple to assemble and needs little attention while it's cooking—a delicious reward for getting the last of those presents wrapped.

Pinto Beans With Vegetables

(serves 4)

1 cup pinto beans, soaked 6-8 hours
3-inch strip kombu
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup corn
1 cup sliced carrots
1/4 tsp. sea salt
sliced scallions for garnish

Soak kombu for 5 minutes to soften, then dice, and place it on the bottom of a pot. Layer onions, celery, corn, carrots, and beans on top. Add water just to cover the beans. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 1 hour. Add water as needed just to keep the beans covered. Season with sea salt and continue to cook until beans are soft, approximately 20-30 minutes. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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