Baby Green Limas are a new addition to our pantry.
When looking to fill your kitchen pantry with versatile, convenient, economical, nutritious and tasty options, beans are an ideal choice. A variety of beans offer you so many options for meal prep, as you can add beans to soups, salads, chili, side dishes . . . delicious, creamy and flavorful.
Although the nutritional profile of a bean varies depending on variety, most beans are a good source of potassium, a great source of protein, are low in fat, and high in fiber. Break the canned beans habit, and turn to dried beans, because this versatile kitchen staple, which for the most part dried beans are cheaper than canned varieties. And, cooked dried beans have a better texture and flavor than the canned varieties.
Meatless Monday
Beans are an essential for our Meatless Mondays, and recently, through a Slow Food/Camellia Brands promotion, I received my choice of beans for experimenting in the kitchen. I thought I’d choose a bean that I don’t usually use – Green Baby Limas.
For these Baby Limas I simply rinsed and sorted the beans, placed them in a pot with water and spices, and brought it just to a boil for a few minutes. Then I reduced the heat, covered and simmered for an hour. NOTE: Allowing beans to boil can make them mushy and fall apart. Remember, you want to get a slightly chewy texture and if left to boil, they’ll lose that great texture.
I started with a delicious Indian inspired side dish (Lima Bean Curry), and also used the baby limas for making our family-favorite bean dip –swapping limas for the white beans, adding a bit of crumbled feta, then stuffing it into toasted pitas. We’ve since added them to soup, burritos, and salads.
Do I Pre Soak?
This is a simple step, it just requires a bit of planning ahead. The night before you’re going to enjoy the beans, place the beans in a pot and cover with water. Place the pot in the fridge overnight and leave them there until you’re ready to use.
If you forget to do this, simply quick soak the beans by placing beans in a pot, covering with water and bringing up to a boil. Turn heat off and let for 30 minutes in the hot water. Drain the beans and then prepare your recipe. Oh, and once your finish cooking your beans, don’t discard the cooking liquid – it is seasoned and is ideal for using in stocks and stews. You can even use for braising or in pasta sauce.
Fill Your Pantry
Filling your pantry with a variety of food, simple to prepare, healthy, versatile – that is what makes beans the perfect choice for filling your pantry. Make the most of all that beans have to offer and start planning to add beans to your weekly menu. Head on over to Camellia Brand website for some great recipes.
