Many soup recipes like the one featured in this week’s Organic Authority Cooking School call for fiber-rich dried beans. If you’re pressed for time, you can substitute canned organic beans, which provide an easy shortcut. I find, however, that you sacrifice a bit of flavor, and your beans may turn mushy. If you do take this route, always drain the beans before adding them to your soup.
Dried beans require soaking time before you add them to a soup or other dish. There are two key reasons:
- You soften the beans by rehydrating them.
- You eliminate some of the natural substances that cause gas or flatulence, thereby facilitating digestion.
Method #1: Overnight Soak
Place your beans in a pot. Cover them with cold water (about 4 inches about bean level). Leave them on the kitchen counter overnight, allowing them to soak for at least 12 hours. Drain the pot before adding the beans to your soup.
Method #2: Quick Boil
You can accelerate the soaking process with quick-boiling. Add beans to a pot, covering them with cold water (again, about 4 inches above bean level). Bring them to a boil, and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them stand, covered, for about an hour. Drain the pot before adding the beans to your soup.
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This week’s recipe, which will be posted on Friday, calls for 1/2 cup dried black beans (also called “turtle” beans) or 1½ cups canned black beans (drained). Why the difference in proportion? Dried beans will triple in size when you cook them.
January’s Organic Authority Cooking School
Welcome to Organic Authority’s Cooking School!
When You Can’t Find Organic Ingredients…
Homemade Organic Tortilla Strips
Hot Trend: Organic Chili Peppers
The Recipe: Latin Tomato and Huitlacoche Soup
Tags: beans, food recipes, homemade recipes, Organic Food Recipes, organic ingredients
Something extra you may want to consider is the addition of a seaweed like kombu, at the beginning of your stew. Its not cheap, but you only need a small piece, as it will expand greatly in your soup. In addition to adding a nice flavor, the addition of the seaweed provides a natural source of iodine, a vital nutrient. Also, since seaweed is rich in chlorophyll it absorbs the gas from the beans leaving all without a bit of flatulence. But this only works if the beans are not boiled first and the seaweed is added at the start of cooking.
do you sell organic fava beans,or know where I can get them?
Thanks.
We don’t sell organic beans. Our web store offers organic teas and yoga accessories.
You can purchase organic fava beans at your local natural food store (Whole Foods or an independent shop). If, for some reason, you’re not in proximity, you should be able to order them online from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Fava-Extra-Large-Green-lb/dp/B000FA3L0G/ref=sr_1_2/104-5771902-9090361?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food&qid=1192201530&sr=8-2.
An Internet search for “organic fava beans” should also pull up mail-order sources.
Interesting! I didn’t know that soaking actually helped to reduce gas or flatulence. I’ve always see my GrandMa do it and now I know why.