Dinner Diva column by Leanne Ely
I’ve written many times on the deliciousness of beans, the ease of cooking them, the frugality of the lowly bean and most importantly, the health qualities that encompasses each and every bean variety.
And today I am going to do it again. Beans are one of those things that sit for years in people’s pantries becoming fossils. One of the reasons is because so many people don’t know how to cook them (really simple; soak overnight, simmer till tender) and most people, if they do use beans, use the canned variety.
I want to make a case for the humble bean, dried, in a bag, and less than a buck (usually) for the whole darn package. Beans are wonderful, versatile, healthy and will save you a fortune on your grocery bill, if you can start to work them into your family’s menu once or more times a week. That doesn’t mean they need to be the mainstay, just add a few to soups, salads, add them to your stews—it really does help to extend a meal, add more protein, a ton more fiber and a bunch of important nutrients.
Now about that gas problem that we all know exists with the consumption of beans. I won’t even go there telling you how to make your beans gas free in the first place because in my humble opinion, that information is really trite and useless. What is useful however, is Beano, a wonderful little enzyme filled product that helps take some of the “music” so to speak, out of your beans.
So how about a recipe? I’m glad you asked because I’ve got a good one for you. Now go soak your beans!
Barbecued Lima Beans
Serves 6
– 1 pound dried lima beans
– 3 1/2 cups water
– 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 1/2 cup ketchup
– 8 drops Tabasco sauce
– 1/3 cup dark corn syrup
– 1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, soak washed beans in water overnight. Do not drain.
Add onion to beans and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 to 60 minutes or until beans are beginning to get tender. Drain beans.
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix well. Pour in vegetable broth to cover beans. If you need more liquid, add water until beans are barely covered.
Cover. Cook on low 10 hours or high 4 to 6 hours (your mileage may vary, depending on your appliance) stirring occasionally.
Per Serving: 402 Calories; 1g Fat; 20g Protein; 83g Carbohydrate; 16g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 427mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain (Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Other Carbohydrates.
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with coleslaw and cornbread for a hearty meal.
For more help putting dinner on your table, check out Leanne’s website, www.SavingDinner.com, or her Saving Dinner book series (Ballantine) and her New York Times bestselling book Body Clutter (Fireside). Copyright 2008 Leanne Ely. Used by permission in this publication.