Dry Beans & Lentils 101

Many people buy canned beans & lentils because they are convenient and honestly these days the only time I buy canned is chickpeas for the aquafaba - fresh doesn't doesn't seem to work! Dry beans are only a bit of work and honestly it works out SO much cheaper plus their shelf life is practically infinite! Here are the dried beans I use, the uses and how much I really get out of each batch.

Dry beans are easy to prep and full of protein. Basically just soak in water for a day or so then cook in fresh water till tender, over night soaking is the easiest prep. Sometimes I use a slow cooker, especially for pinto beans since I want them very soft anyway and don't have to keep testing them. I can just let them go all day and the worst case is that they still need longer so I start it up again. Then I drain them, rinse well and put them to good use or freeze!

"Beans, beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat the more you toot!" We've all heard the kid's rhyme and maybe have stayed away but most of this comes down to two things, prep and tolerance. If beans are not cooked all the way they will play some havoc on your system, similarly if you're new to eating beans some people might need an adjustment period

Black Beans

A 1lb bag of black beans will set you back about $2 and from just that one pound I can make the following;

Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Hummus

Black Bean Burgers

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) are a stable for me because I love hummus and I love falafel. Now for good falafel you need soaked, but not cooked chickpeas which you won't find in a can.

Simple Hummus

Fried Falafel

Vegan Tuna Melt

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

Vegetable & Past "Chicken" Soup

Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are a staple in our house mainly for refried beans. We eat tacos or nachos and then quesadillas with the left overs at least once a week. 1lb of dry pinto beans will make 2 batches of my refried beans and each batch will feed my family of 5 twice (usually for taco night and then leftovers for nachos or quesadillas). I usually take a full bag of pinto beans to make the refried beans but easily freeze half of it.

Refried Beans

Nachos

Tacos

Homemade Baked Beans

Kidney Beans

Great for Latin dishes and adding into mixed bean dishes!

Spaghetti Bol with Beans

Bean Burritos

Nacho Bean Bowl

Chilli Non Carne

White Beans

White beans come in a four different forms;

• Great Northern Beans which are nutty and hold their shape so used in stews and casseroles
• Cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans) which have a nutty/meaty texture and are used in a lot of Mediterranean dishes such as Minestrone.
• Navy (Yankee or Pea) beans which are round and small and very popular in Boston & Louisiana dishes.
• Baby Lima Beans (Butter beans) which also come in green color are smooth and creamy and used in a variety of dishes, great to mash with potato or avocado!

White Bean & Chickpea Chilli

White Bean & Pepper Jack Quesadilla

Lima Bean Ragout with Tomato and Thyme

Mixed Beans

Mixed Bean Chilli

Mega Burrito Bowl

Bean & Tomato Stew

LENTILS

Red lentils are your friend, they are a great go to as they are the only lentil that you don't need to soak! They cook so quickly they can go straight into your soups and stews!

Red Lentil Dal

Lentil Meat Loaf

 Turkish Lentil Soup

Brown Lentils you do need to soak and are much meatier than red lentils which tend to get mushy quickly and lose their form.

Lentil & Rice Meatballs

Warm Pumpkin & Brown Lentil Salad

Simple Lentil Soup

This is a great one if you're on a budget, it's hearty, filling and healthy but cheap as chips!

Split Peas are in the lentil family but different to green lentils. They are a variety of field pea which is grown specifically for drying. They tend to cook very fast too which eliminates the needs for soaking.

Split Pea Soup

Split Pea, Rice & Vegetable Pancakes

Green Lentils are fairly similar to brown lentils in terms of cooking times and keeping their form. Flavor will vary slightly but they are fairly interchangeable in recipes.

Lentil Patties

Lentil Stuffed Peppers

French lentils are a variety of green lentils (Puy lentils are French lentils but have a slightly different flavor due to the region they are grown). They are smaller than standard green lentils and they hold their shape extremely well so ideal for salads as well as light soups and taste a bit nutty and peppery. I have personally never made anything with these lentils but as I love French cuisine I will have to find some recipes to make!!

Black Bean Hummus

Original recipe from My Recipes.

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (I used 2 drop of Cilantro Essential Oil)
2 tablespoons tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 small jalapeño pepper, seeded (I just used a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper)


Method

Place everything in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Serve with crackers, corn chips or vegetables.

Black Bean Brownies

Original recipe from Minimalist Baker. A hit with all the kids!

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

425 g can black beans, well rinsed and drained (I used fresh cooked beans around 1 3/4 cups)
2 large flax eggs (2 heaping Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water)
3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I used carob powder because I was cooking them for my toddler)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Heaped 1/2 cup (105 g) organic cane sugar, finely ground. (I used coconut palm sugar)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional toppings: crush walnuts, pecans, or dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips (I used hazelnuts)


Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
Lightly grease a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (I used a silicon friand tray).
Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients (besides walnuts or other toppings) and puree - about 3 minutes - scraping down sides as needed until smooth.
Spoon into muffin tray with room at the top for rising.
Sprinkle with crushed nuts or chocolate chips.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides.
Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan.
They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork.
The insides are meant to be fudgy.
Store in fridge or freezer.

Refried Beans from Scratch

I wish Id known how easy and delicious making your own refried beans was and I would've started a long time ago. I make a whole batch and freeze the rest.

Refried Beans from Scratch

Ingredients

1 lb dried pinto beans (or three 15.5oz cans)

1 onion, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbls vegetable oil or shortening

Method

Soak beans over night.

Rinse and cover with water in a saucepan.

Heat to boiling then reduce to a simmer for about an hour, or until beans are soft.

While beans are cooking fry the onion on a meduim heat until they are clear and soft.

Add cooked beans, cooked onion, oil and salt & pepper to a food processor and blitz until smooth, a few chunks are ok.

At this point I freeze half of what I have made.

The remainder is used for Mexican dishes. for nachos and tacos I mix on a low heat with taco seasoning and a jar of salsa.

Brothy Brown Lentil Soup

I had some cooked brown lentils in the fridge so I just made this soup up with what I had in the house - delicious!!!

Brothy Brown Lentil Soup

Ingredients

2 cups cooked brown lentils
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 medium carrots, chopped into rounds
1 onions, chopped
Approx 4 cups of vegetable stock (I used Vegeta)
1 Tbls olive oil

Method

In a large saucepan heat oil and fry onion and carrots on a medium heat until onions are clear.
Add lentils and potato and pour in enough stock to cover all the vegetables (hence the measurement "Approx").
Bring to boil then cover and turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Once potato is soft is ready for the eating!
Celery might be nice too but I didn't have any :)

Homemade Baked Beans

I missed having baked beans on toast for a weekend breakfast and this BBQ sauce recipe from Vegan Dad blog works perfectly.

Homemade Baked Beans

Ingredients
Serves 4 as a side

1 400g can Pinto beans (or whatever beans you prefer), rinsed and drained
1 sweet onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp mustard
A dash of hot sauce


Method

To make the BBQ sauce, melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat.
Saute onion and garlic for 15 mins, until onions have cooked down and are nicely browned.
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to bubbling.
Simmer for 15-20 mins, until sauce thickens and gets a nice deep red colour.
Add in the pinto beans and heat through, around 3-5 minutes.
Serve in a bowl, on toast or as a side with your favourite vegan brekkie!

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

My friend Jen gave me this recipe and it's great for a healthy snack. You can add any spices you like.
Apparently some people make them just with cinnamon sugar as well :)
I think the spice mix from Party Popcorn would also be delicious.

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

Ingredients

2x 400g cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (alternatively you can use 3-4 cups of cooked chickpeas)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Italian herbs (optional)
1 Tbls olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350F.
Rinse chickpeas and dry on a paper towel.
In a bowl mix the chickpeas with the oil, salt and spices/herbs.
Lay out in a single layer on a baking tray (I put foil underneath).
Bake for 40-60 mins or until they are the level of crispiness you desire.
Once cooked put out onto a paper towel and then serve.

Bean and Tomato Stew

I made up this stew with raw beans that I had soaked for days and then left in a slow cooker all day and they were still hard, so next time I'd use canned beans...cause the flavor was great. Mushrooms, carrots and potatoes would also work great.

Bean and Tomato Stew

Ingredients

4 cups cooked beans (you can use 4 cans of different beans, rinsed and drained - I like Pinto, Navy, Kidney and Lentils)
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 packet vegan mince (I used Helen's Kitchen)
1/2 cup brown rice
10 cups stock (vegetable or vegan beef/chicken)
1 onion, chopped finely
2 Tbls tomato paste
2 handfuls of english spinach
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves


Method

If you're using a slow cooker just throw everything in and leave cooking on high so 8-10 hours. You may need to add more water if necessary.
If not, use a large saucepan and fry the onions in a little oil on medium heat for around 5-10 minutes or until soft.
Add all other ingredients and mix well.
Turn heat to high and boil for 10 minutes.
Return to a low simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on bean cooking time.
You may need to add more water from time to time.
Once stew is thick and everything is cooked through remove bay leaves and serve.
You can puree in a blender if desired.
Serve with toast or crusty bread.

Mixed Bean Chilli

This is my husband's vegetarian chilli. It's as simple as throwing a whole lot of common ingredients into a slow cooker and letting the flavours fuse together. Obviously you can use dried beans but make sure they have soaked for at least 24 hours prior.

Mixed Bean Chilli

Ingredients

400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
300g can vegan baked beans, incdluing sauce (or home made)**
200g can diced tomatoes, with green chillies (green chillies optional)
2 x 400g can diced tomatoes (fire roasted)
400g can tomato sauce (tomato puree, not ketchup)
400g can sweet corn, including juice
1 can V8 juice
400g dry TVP (optional)
2 Tbls chilli powder
1 Tbls ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground corriander seeds
1 Tbls dried basil
4-6 drops liquid smoke (no more) (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cup water
1 onion, sliced


Method

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours. Alternatively you could try and oven safe dish on 200F for the same amount of time but you wouldn't want to leave the house. If doing it on the stove top, fry onion first, then add all ingredients to an extra large pot, bring to boil then simmer on a low heat for 2 hours (testing the beans after that time).
With all methods stir occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving.

**if you can't find vegan baked beans and don't want to make them you can just use pinto beans and add some ketchup, bbq sauce and some tomato paste.

Mixed Bean Salad

My friend made me the most divine warm bean salad but can't find the recipe and so I tried to recreate it and failed because it's completely different but this was still good and healthy! The olives were a bit strong so I'm not including them in the recipe.

Mixed Bean Salad

Ingedients

1 large can of mixed beans, rinsed and drained
Handful of lettuce of your choice, washed and broken up
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
Handful of fresh coriander, washed and chopped
1Tbl olive oil (for frying)
1 Tbls olive oil for dressing
1 Tbls balsamic vinegar for dressing


Method

In a frying pan add olive oil and on a medium heat saute onions until soft.
Add beans and tomatoes until heated through.
Toss olive oil and balsamic vinegar through and take off heat.
Mix through coriander and lettuce and serve.

White Bean & Chick Pea Chilli

I got this recipe from My Vegan Cookbook blog and it's also low fat. As you may have noticed from my past blogs, that isn't really important to me but I thought I'd mention it for all the health conscious out there!
I changed a couple of the spices because I didn't have them. Original recipe here.
Pictured here with home made croutons, yummy.

White Bean & Chickpea Chilli

Ingredients

400g Great Northern Beans (or Cannellini Beans), washed and soaked for at least 24 hours

1 can Chick Peas, drained and rinsed

6 Cups Water
2 Cups Frozen Corn Kernels
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 Cup Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Liquid Smoke
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
2 Teaspoon Ground Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Mexican Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/4 Cup Nutritional Food Yeast
1 cup Rice Milk
2 Tablespoons Arrow Root Powder Or Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Method

Place soaked & rinsed beans/chickpeas in a large pot with the 6 cups of water and frozen corn. Bring to a boil.

In a skillet, saute onion and pepper with the canola oil until onions are transparent. Place this into the pot.

Now add liquid smoke, onion and garlic powder, lemon pepper, corriander, sugar, ancho chili powder, white or red chili powder and cumin.

His recipe says "Set crock pot for 4 hours" but I don't have one or the time so I let mine simmer covered, on medium for 1.5-2hours. 10 minutes before serving, place nutritional yeast, rice milk, arrow root, sugar and seasoning salt and salt into a food processor and blend until smooth. Place into the crock pot and stir together. Let cook another 10 minutes to thicken up the chili.

Serve with bread, rice, croutons or whatever you fancy. I got 5-6 main serves out of this just with croutons so I think with rice you could spread it out for more meals.

Note:  I thought this was a bit spicy and so would probably leave out the ground chilli next time. Having said my tolerance for spice is quite low.

Bean Burritos

I was very excited to find Mission's White Corn Tortillas (which are gluten free) so I felt the need to make bean burritos. One of my favourite foods but something that can be a challenge being gluten intolerant!
The Mission tortillas are mini so the photo is of bthe non gluten free burritos.

Bean Burritos

Ingredients

Gluten free tortillas
Refried bean dip
1 can kidney beans, washed and rinsed
1 jar salsa
vegan cheese, grated
packet of taco seasoning
1 jar jalepanoes (optional)
vegan sour cream (for serving)
Taco sauce (for serving)
Guacamole (for serving)


Method

Preheat oven to 180˚C.
In a saucepan boil kidney beans in water until bubbling up to the surface.
Remove, drain well and place back on the stove, mixing in remaining salsa and taco seasoning to taste.
In a tortilla place a few spoons on refried bean mixture, top with grated cheese and roll.
To roll a burrito place the mixture in the middle but leaving one end free of mixture to roll.
Start by rolling one side (parallel to mixture), then roll up the end that has not mixture, then continue to roll to the other side ending with the edge underneath to hold it on place.
Place burritos servings on an oven proof plate. Pour kidney bean mixture over the top and more cheese if desired.
Bake in oven for 15-20mins until starting to brown.
Serve with jalapenoes, taco sauce, guacamole, sour cream and anything you like.

Green Bean Salad

IngredientsGreen Beans (or White Beans)
Onion – chopped
Garlic
Parsley
White vinegar
Vegan Sour cream or cream cheese

Method
Boil green beans in some water and set aside.
Fry Garlic, onion and parsley on medium heat until onion is soft.
Add a little water and vinegar – enough to be boiled off.
Bring water to boil then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 mins.
When water is boiled off, take off heat, add beans and sour cream to tase.
Add more vinegar to taste.

Chile Con Non-Carne

This is a quick and easy recipe for cold days and uses normally what I already have in the house. My recipe (with some professional tweaks) is currently being featured at the Brisbane Brewing Co. thanks to my talented chef cousins, Tim & Dan Searle! Made 4 serves.

Ingredients
400g Tomatoes (I used canned because I'm lazy)
1 large onion - finely chopped
5 cloves garlic
2 cups vege mince
1 tin red kidney beans - washed and drained
1/2 green pepper/capsicum chopped
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbls tomato puree
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper - seasoning
1 Tbls oil

Method
Heat oil in a frying pan on a medium/high heat. Fry oinion & garlic until onion is clear.
Add vegan mince and fry until heated through.
Reduce heat to low then add tomato puree, herbs and spices and stir through.
Add all ingredients except the green capsicum. Leave on low heat, covered for 45mins.
Add green capsicum & water and simmer for a few minutes.
Serve with bread, crackers or croutons