For the love of Legumes
People over look our little legume, pulse and bean friends all the time when it comes to what to eat. Whether this is because you have simply never cooked them before and have no idea where to start, or maybe you’ve never really eaten them and have n o idea how to make them taste delicious. The important thing to remember is that these little guys are packed full of goodness and I challenge you to include them in one meal a week (for a start at least).
First thing to note is that they are all different
Legumes are the leaves, stems and pods of a plant in the Fabaceae family.
A Pulse is the edible seed that comes from the legume plant and includes peas, lentils and beans
These little guys are a great source of protein, folate, Iron and fibre and are a low glycemic index food.
You can buy legumes and beans precooked in tins or you can buy them dried and cook them yourself.
It is generally a good idea to soak your legumes and beans before cooking. This lowers the lectin content (which can upset your tummy) and the phytic acid (which can make you gassy) in the legumes and makes them more easily digestible. When not soaked lectins and phytic acid act as anti-nutrients and impair absorption of other nutrients.
As a super easy guide, put them into a bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight.
There is however slightly more technically soaking options to really make the most out of it.
For any beans in a kidney shape (butter beans, kidney beans etc.) put in bowl, cover with water and add a pinch of baking soda to the waters - cover bowl and let sit for 12-24 hours. It is a good idea to change the water once or twice depending on how long they soak for (For me, I will soak one day, change water in the morning and then cook that afternoon/evening).
For other beans (black beans, lentils). Put in bowl, add water and add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for every cup of beans soaking. As above, its a good idea to change the water during the soaking phase.
Before cooking, drain the liquid, give them a rinse, put in a pot and cover with water.
I like to cook beans and lentils in my slow cooker, the temperature is low and slow with less chance of breaking the beans. Depending on the bean it may take anywhere from 40 minutes for lentils, to a few hours for chickpeas. Keep an eye on them and if they start to get mushy make sure you get them off the heat.
You can use the liquid that the beans are cooked in, you can add this to your hummus or in your curry as the liquid.
Have a vegetarian night once a week, use them in your curries or make a fresh salad that you can easily take work with you.
If you want anymore recipes or ideas send me a message or follow me and ask on my Instagram or Facebook pages.