Kudos to Amber for her recent Broke and Vegan post. In my budget, groceries are one of the last things to go when things get tight, but even still, this is the time to be frugal! Veganism can seem a little pricey if you are buying ready-made meals, “meat-alikes,” and whatnot, but it really doesn’t have to be, especially if you rely more heavily on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans.
I remember a few years back a friend mentioned to me that she didn’t know what to do with dried beans. She was on WIC, and dried beans were one of her approved foods, but canned beans were not. She’s not a terribly adventurous cook, so her previous experience with beans had been somewhat limited to well, opening a can of baked beans. I was excited to share with her one of my favorite cheap foods, and one that fits in every healthy diet. And you too, readers; if you don’t already soak and cook your own beans, it’s time to start. I’ve compiled a few recipes here to get you started, including one of my own.
But first! A little tutorial on how to cook dried beans… Some people are intimidated with the time commitment involved, but it is almost entirely hands-off prep, meaning you really don’t need to pay much attention at all or hang around the kitchen. I try to always soak overnight or for 8 hours, which cuts down on the cooking time greatly. My idiot-proof method: pick through a pound of dried beans (my preferred right now, in order: black beans, chickpeas, pintos, white beans) for stones or bits of dirt, then throw them into a big pot. Cover with a few inches of water, cover, and set aside to soak. When it comes time to cook, you can either drain the water and start fresh, or just boil in the soaking water. Take the top off so the pot doesn’t boil over, make sure there’s plenty of water in there at all times, and just cook until tender (maybe an hour or two, depending on the bean). Easy peasy, right? Some people add salt at various times, some people recommend adding epazote or a piece of kombu to reduce gassiness, some people say to add a little oil to prevent boil-over, but these are all optional.
Once you have a big pot of cooked beans (much more economical than canned beans, and plus you don’t have all that salt), what next? Some ideas for you…
Smoky White Bean Quesadillas– a recipe I wrote recently for Vegweb
Chickpea Cutlets– from Veganomicon (I’ve also made these with pinto and white beans)
Smoky Refried Bean Soup– this recipe calls for 15 ounces of refried beans, but you can just mash/puree two cups of any type of bean instead of using a can
Black Bean and Corn Salsa– perfect for the summer! Be sure to rinse the black beans well or they will color your salsa a lovely sludgy color.
Obviously you can buy dried beans from any grocery store, but it pays to shop carefully. The longer beans have been on the shelf, the less fresh they will be and the longer they will take to cook. I like to buy organic beans in bulk from the Glut Co-op or Yes! Organic (plus I can take in my own containers, tare them, and skip the plastic bag). Even organic dried beans with their slightly higher price tag are a great economical option for the Broke Vegan. Enjoy!
Start your day the healthy way. Past classes have included some of the following: Eggless Benedict, Eggless Omelettes, Whole Grain Waffles & Pancakes, Quiche, Crepes, Hash Brown Casserole, Polenta Fries (photo as above), Overnight Oatmeal, Homemade Granola, Sticky Buns, Muffins, Scones, Smoothies, plus a variety of organic cereals and dairy-free milk.
