[LisaMarie71]

I stopped eating meat January 7 and am trying to go toward a vegan diet (I'm almost there), so I've been trying new recipes and trying to change what my meals look like. I'm trying to add beans, but I'm finding that I really do hate them no matter what I do to them. I don't want to force myself to eat anything just because it's good for me (that's not my idea of a good relationship with food), but I really want to eat beans for their protein and fiber. So far, hummus and roasted chickpeas are the only way I can stand to eat beans, and I wouldn't want those every day.

Does anyone have a recipe that completely masks the texture of beans? I'm talking...like...I won't have any clue that beans are in there! Or should I just give up and accept that beans won't be part of my life? I know it's possible to be vegan and NOT eat beans, but I don't want to miss out on good nutrition, you know?

Oh, and on another note, I tried seitan in a stir-fry last night and it was had a really repulsive rubbery texture. I'm definitely a texture girl when it comes to my food -- this is why I could never stand gummi bears: yuck!

[nelie]

So texture of beans is what bothers you? What specifically about the texture? too soft? too hard?

What about things like split pea soup? Do you like things like refried beans?


Another thing to look at is soups that have cannelini beans in them. Basically the beans fall apart and become part of the broth.

Here is an example:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2010/02...annellini.html

[Hyacinth]

Have you tried black-bean burgers? You can buy them, but if you made them by hand you could control the texture a bit more. There was a baked falafel recipe on here recently, that masks the texture of chickpeas quite a bit.

I've never tried it, but some people make a "meat" loaf out of beans.

Lentils might also be a nice alternative. Do you like those?

I like beans in soups, stir-fries, etc and if you make them at home you can control the amount you add.

[fmb101]

i too am a texture girl and for the longest time I NEVER ate beans and I couldn't even stand sour cream - they would just make me gag! Now I don't know if I've gotten older, wiser, or what but I found a recipe using beans that I LOVE! You might want to give it a try. It's very quick & simple to make AND is SOOO yummy!

1 can of black beans (I use Goya brand - you can make your own beans but it takes forever and the canned are just so much easier)
1 jar of salsa (i like the tostitos brand)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of minced garlic in water

just mix it all together and enjoy! if I am feeling cold, I will rinse the beans under hot water to warm them up a bit before mixing it all up.

The first time I tried to make this i wasn't sure how i'd feel about the beans so i also had 2 tbsp of sour cream (which I now love...lol) on the side of the plate for dipping. And even though it does taste good, I don't do that anymore to save myself some calories.

I tell EVERYONE who will listen to me about this recipe because I love it so much AND i can't believe that something this healthy is actually delicious! Let me know if you try it and what you think!!! Good luck!

[gardenerjoy]

Sauteed tempeh

Refried beans (I like the recipe from Mexican Light, by Martha Rose Shulman which I got from the library, but I add a ton of herbs like sage and oregano), the more you cook them, the less of that bean texture remains. We like them in enchiladas rather than a side dish -- for me, that's another way to make beans "disappear" wrap them in something or put them in a sandwich so that I don't have to see them!

You can make hummus style dips from any bean, if it's been cooked enough -- just run the cooked beans through a food processor with some herbs and spices and a little bit of nut or seed butter. These make good sandwich fillings as well as dips.

Lentil loaf. You'll find recipes on the internet for it, but I got it from the original Laurel's Kitchen -- the bean texture really disappears and it's just a vehicle for the yummy herbs. This can be sliced and used as a sandwich filling -- a little barbecue sauce makes a nice condiment on the sandwich.

[JulieJ08]

Mmmm, falafel.

Also keep in mind that beans can be cooked to different textures just like veggies can. Lots of people hate canned and/or overcooked mushy bland veggies, and then are shocked how good veggies are when stirfried so they retain their crispness, or roasted. Same with beans - you might have to cook some yourself if the canned ones you get are bland, or too mushy, or too hard.

[lora m]

Originally Posted by fmb101

Now I don't know if I've gotten older, wiser, or what but I found a recipe using beans that I LOVE! You might want to give it a try. It's very quick & simple to make AND is SOOO yummy!

1 can of black beans (I use Goya brand - you can make your own beans but it takes forever and the canned are just so much easier)
1 jar of salsa (i like the tostitos brand)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of minced garlic in water

I made up something very simple but good the other day which wasn't dissimilar as it used black beans and hot salsa. I mashed the beans up with salsa until it was to my taste, then I wrapped it in a wholewheat tortilla with salad. It made a good lunch.

Apart from that, soup would be an answer. Any bean soup could be blended well so the beans are thickening up the soup and adding to the flavour but you're not munching on them.

[nelie]

Yeah I'd agree that beans have all sorts of textures. "Eye of the goat" beans are one of my favorite because they are not mushy at all, they are a very firm bean, much like chickpeas. Lentils tend to be softer although with some form and other beans can be easily mashed to disguise that they are there at all in such things as soups.

[souvenirdarling]

I've blended beans to thicken soups and sauces. It gets em in there!

[Suzanne 3FC]

I love beans Not all beans, but most! I don't care for pinto beans, probably because I was raised on soup beans and have had my fill for a lifetime. They are also too soft in my opinion. But different beans have different textures and flavor variations. I've been exploring beans over the last few years and have really enjoyed trying out new varieties!

We probably all are familiar with black beans, kidney beans, black beans and cannellini beans. I have those in my pantry, but I also have red nightfall, vaquero, gigantes, Christmas lima, and more.

Gigantes beans are giant They can be as big as your thumb when cooked and are known for their meaty texture. I only cook them one way - with smoked tomatoes. I saute a little onion, carrot and celery then stir in crushed fire roasted tomatoes and season with a little oregano or thyme, and then I add tomatoes that I smoke just for this dish. It's fantastic, always a hit at pot luck, freezes well, and is very very healthy.

I recently discovered red nightfall beans and they are small but firm, and have a tinge of red color that is shaded across the bean. Since they hold up well, I use them in a bean salad. I soak mustard seeds in sherry vinegar then add chopped sundried tomatoes, finely chopped red onions, agave nectar, olive oil, salt, and stir into the beans. The original recipe used molasses and chipotle pepper I subbed agave and left out the chipotle but I'm sure that would be good too.

I also like to mash cannellini beans and combine with seasoned bread crumbs, chopped onions, chopped sundried tomatoes, a small amount of feta cheese (I use soy-feta Mediterranean seasoned) then shape into patties and saute them till crispy.

There's really so many different ways to enjoy beans. I hope you find something that appeals to you

[Satu]

How about lentils, perhaps in a lentil stew or salad? (For a quick bite, Amy's Organics lentil stew is really good.) Lentils have tons of protein and fiber and brown lentils are firmer (and thus perhaps more texturally pleasing?) than other legumes.

Also, have you tried quinoa? It's often marketed as a grain, but quinoa is actually a seed--and a complete protein.

I agree that legumes are a really necessary nutritional component of a vegan diet. Although I've been a vegetarian for 15 years, I am only now really getting into beans. Having made them a daily dietary staple in just the last three weeks, I feel more energized--and fuller after meals (due to the high amount of protein and fiber).

I don't know if these recipes will suit your palate, but not being a natural fan of beans myself, I've found that these dishes are delicious enough to make up for my lack of predilection.


This recipe is adapted from one listed on Allrecipes. It reminds me a lot of Tabouli. My only substitution is lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar, and sometimes I double the artichoke hearts. I recommend letting it sit in the fridge for 48 hours to allow the flavors to marry. Also, I love eating it by scooping with Finn Crisps rye crackers (lots of fiber, no fat, delicious). BTW, Eden Organics canned beans are currently the only ones not encased in BBP-containing plastic-lined cans.


White Bean and Artichoke Salad

* 3 cups white beans, drained
* 1/2 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
* 2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
* 1/3 cup chopped black olives
* 1/4 cup chopped red onion
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 ounce chopped fresh mint leaves
* 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, artichoke hearts, bell peppers, olives, onion, parsley, mint, and basil.
2. In a jar or small bowl, combine oil and vinegar; shake together or mix well. Pour oil and vinegar over the salad, and toss to coat.
3. Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally, to let flavors blend.



Black Beans Charros

Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cups black beans, picked over, washed, and drained
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 5 tablespoons very finely chopped onion
* 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
* 6 canned plum tomatoes, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup of their liquid
* 1/2 to 1 jalapeno chile or any other fresh hot green chile, very finely chopped
* 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
* 1 lemon
* 2 cups quinoa, uncooked
* 3 avocados (optional), salted

Preparation

Soak the beans overnight in water to cover by 5 inches. Alternatively, you may Quick-Soak the beans. Drain thoroughly and discard the soaking liquid.

Add 4 cups of fresh water to the beans and bring to a boil in a heavy medium pan. Cover partially, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. (Alternatively, you may pressure-cook the beans.) Transfer half of the beans and their cooking liquid to a blender or food processor, add the salt, and puree. Return the pureed mixture to the pot with the whole beans and combine well.

Cook quinoa. (It takes about 15 minutes. For directions, Google: cook quinoa.)

Put the oil in a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic, stirring and sauteing until they are golden (do not let them brown or toast). Add the chopped tomatoes and their liquid and the jalapeno, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Stir the tomato mixture and half of the chopped thyme into the beans, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. When done, add the remaining chopped thyme and lemon juice and salt, to taste. Ladle stew over bowls of the cooked quinoa, and garnish with plenty of finely chopped avocado. Bon appetite!

Note: Thought this dish is very good right away, like most stews, the flavors really "come alive" after sitting for about 5 hours, after they've had time to marry.

Modified from the recipe
"Rosario Guillermo's Black Beans
'Charros': Frijoles Charros,"
pg. 13, of the excellent
"Madhur Jaffrey's World
Vegetarian" cookbook
(Clarkson Potter/Publisher NY, 1999).

(I posted this one on my blog a while ago.)



Good luck in your tasty vegetarian nutrition/protein quest!