In this class we talk about the heartiness and nutritional benefits of using beans in your culinary creations. Recipes below.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Using Beans in Soup

Beans add nutritional value and heartiness to soups, making them a versatile and wholesome ingredient. Adding beans to your soup recipes enhances the texture, flavor, and nutrition of your meals, creating satisfying and nourishing dishes.

Hearty Bean Soup Recipes

The class showcased hearty bean soup recipes sharing diverse ways beans can be the star of a comforting bowl with new flavors and textures, expanding your repertoire of nutritious and delicious soups.

Chowder Recipes

Chowders offer a creamy and comforting alternative, and the class shared diverse chowder recipes to explore.

Bean Conversion Information

Learning about bean conversion from dried to cooked/canned highlights the flexibility of using different forms of beans in your recipes. This allows you to adapt recipes based on ingredient availability, making your cooking experience more convenient and adaptable.

Resources:

Nutritional value of beans and soaking beans

Bean conversion information (dried to cooked/canned)

Black Bean Soup

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 25 min

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Recipe courtesy of Dave Lieberman

Ingredients

10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups) 6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Instructions

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder.
Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering for 10 minutes.
Cook until the soup thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Hearty Bean Stew (vegan)

This scrumptious bean stew is cozy, hearty, and vegan. It's deliciously filling with beans and basic vegetables simmered in a rich, glossy red wine broth. It's a wonderful, inexpensive meal full of flavor and plant-based protein.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced (any color)
2 medium-sized carrots, diced
1 celery rib, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ Tbsp paprika
1 ½ tsp dried rosemary (or 1 sprig of fresh)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or oregano)
½ tsp dried thyme (or a few sprigs of fresh)
3 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (leveled)
¾ cup dry red wine
2 cans (14oz/400 grams each) borlotti beans, drained (or cannellini, pinto, kidney beans)
2 cups low sodium broth (or adjust to the desired consistency)
¼ – ½ tsp salt, to taste (start with ¼ tsp)
⅛ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp soya sauce

Instructions

Warm 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, carrot, celery and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onion turns translucent. It takes about 10 minutes.
Add spices, garlic and herbs, stir well and cook for 1 or 2 minutes to enhance their flavor.
Add the second Tbsp of olive oil, tomato paste and flour. Stir to combine until you make a paste (this is called roux, it helps to thicken the broth).
Stir in the red wine, mix well with the rest of the ingredients, and let it cook for about 1 minute or so. You have a creamy red wine mixture now.
Add the beans, the broth, and the salt (start with ¼ tsp), bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes.
Finally, add 1 Tbsp of soya sauce, cook for a further minute, taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
Serve warm with crusty bread or steamed or boiled rice. Garnish with fresh parsley if you wish. Enjoy!

Notes

Dried beans: use about 1 ¼cup to make 2 cans (14 oz each). Make sure you soak them overnight (about 8 hours) in cold water, then cook them until they are tender but firm. When the beans are cooked and drained, you can proceed as per recipe.
Salt: start with ¼ of salt and then adjust the seasoning at the end. If you use chicken, beef or regular vegetable broth rather than low-sodium broth, it’s important to adjust the seasoning at the end and not at the beginning, as you don’t know how salty the broth is.
Storage: this bean stew will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a touch of water until it’s thinned to the desired consistency, then gently warm over medium-low heat. It’s also freezable in an airtight container for up to 1 month

Alaskan Cod Chowder

Total Time: 45 mins

By EatingWell Kitchen

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon reduced-sodium Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium fish or seafood stock
1 cup whole milk
3 cups diced red potatoes
2 cups chopped green beans
1 pound Alaskan cod (see Tip), cut into 1-inch pieces
Chopped fresh dill for garnish
Chopped plum tomatoes for garnish

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, 3 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle flour, Worcestershire, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
Add fish (or seafood) stock and milk; bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.
Stir in potatoes and green beans; bring just to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add cod and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve topped with dill and tomatoes, if desired.

Tips

Our favorite sustainable cod is U.S. Pacific cod from Alaskan waters; Atlantic cod (sometimes called scrod) from Iceland and the northeast Arctic are also sustainable choices. To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, slowly reheat over medium-low or microwave on Medium power.