Need help cooking beans

[kendallsmom]

I have a 3yo who loves beans and won't eat much else. She's extremely picky and this is one of the few healthy things she loves but I don't have much bean experience. I make chili w/ veggie crumbles and she just eats the beans out. I also heat cans of veggie baked beans. I think she'd go for more but I just don't know how to cook beans(other than from a can) and what to make out of them. We prefer meat free :) She likes soups too(but nothing w/ noodles or pasta :rolleyes: ). I didn't eat beans as a kid though I do like them now.

TIA for any advice!

[hunter]

Beans are so easy. Dump them into a bowl, rinse them really well, and pick out any that look weird. Put them in a pot, and fill it with fresh water to about two inches above the level of the beans. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and let simmer until they're done. How long depends on the size of bean, and the moisture content, the drier the longer, but it averages about two hours. Stir them occasionally, and add water if you can see more than just the tops of the beans. Cooked beans freeze well, just dump them & a bit of the cooking liquid into a container & leave some swelling room at the top.

What to do with them after they're cooked? Mash them up with some seasonings for a sandwich spread. Add some sauteed onion & garlic, a can of tomatoes, and some veggie broth, and you've got a simple soup. Season with cumin & oregano, or basil & garlic, spoon into warm corn tortillas, sprinkle with cheese & salsa for a taco. Stuff them into a baked potato, with or without cheese or sour cream. I throw them into pasta dishes (garbanzos) or salads (black beans) or even scrambled eggs (pinto beans, yummy with salsa!) Pour seasoned beans over rice or polenta. Why cook? We snack on fresh soybeans right out of the package, and on frozen peas thawed out under cold water. My favorite way to prepare lima beans: pour them frozen out of the bag into a casserole dish, add a smashed clove of garlic & a branch of fresh rosemary, drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until they're hot & glorious!

Finally, try putting quinoa (pronouced KEEN-wah) in soups instead of pasta. It's a small grain, and kind of chewy when cooked. You have to rinse it really well or it's bitter, but it's very filling, and it's packed with protein.

[kendallsmom]

Thanks so much! This is really going to help me out!