Healthy Living Guide... Health Food Recipes... » vegetarian http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:31:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 How To Cook Beans Easily http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2010/02/19/how-to-cook-beans-easily/ http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2010/02/19/how-to-cook-beans-easily/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:44:01 +0000 Sandra http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/?p=90 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Beans are about the best nutrition bargain going. Low in cost, they provide thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and calcium. When complemented by grains or dairy products, they are a main source of high-quality protein for vegetarians.

The simplest cooking directions are to sort through the beans and discard any bad ones, then rinse well, drain, and gently boil, uncovered, in three times their volume of water until tender.

For some beans, cooking “until tender” can take a considerable length of time. If you prefer, you can shorten their cooking time by soaking them according to one of the following methods.

  1. Quick soaking: In a kettle, combine 6 to 9 cups hot water with 1 pound dry beans. Bring to a boil over high heat and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak, covered, for 1 hour before draining.
  2. Long soaking: In a kettle, combine 6 to 7 cups cold water with 1 pound dry beans. Add 2 teaspoons salt, (it helps beans absorb water evenly). Let soak for at least 3 to 4 hours or until next day. Drain before cooking.

To cook soaked beans: In a kettle, bring 6 to 7 cups water to a boil. Add drained, soaked beans. Boil gently partially covered, until tender Add water if needed to keep beans covered. Add salt to taste (up to 2 teaspoons) when beans are tender. Drain excess water when done; reserve for soups or stews, if desired.

Beans double in size; 1 pound dry beans yields about 4 cups cooked beans. We prefer to cook a large quantity of beans and freeze whatever we don’t plan to use right away.

The following list of legumes (mostly beans) contains a brief description as well as recommended cooking time after soaking for each item. Note that lentils and split peas do not need soaking.

  1. Black beans: Robust flavor; popular in South American cooking. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  2. Black-eyed peas: Smooth texture, pealike flavor; good mixed with other vegetables. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Garbanzos (chick peas, ceci): Firm texture, nutlike flavor; naturals for minestrone, salads. 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  4. Great Northern beans: Mild flavor; good in soups, and combined with other vegetables. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Kidney beans: Firm texture, meaty flavor; hold shape well in chili dishes and other casseroles. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  6. Lentils: No soaking needed. Mild flavor blends well with many different foods, spices. 40 to 45 minutes.
  7. Limas, baby: Versatile; use like other white beans in soups, casseroles. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  8. Pink, pinto, and red beans: Hearty flavor; great for barbecue-style beans, Mexican cooking, soups, casseroles. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  9. Soybeans: Strong-flavored, near-perfect protein source. Refrigerate while soaking. 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
  10. Split peas, green and yellow: No soaking; good for soups, side dishes. 40 to 50 minutes.
  11. White beans (navy), small: Hold their shape when cooked; classic for baked beans. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

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]]> http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2010/02/19/how-to-cook-beans-easily/feed/ 0 Why choose high-fibre foods? http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2009/12/30/why-choose-high-fibre-foods/ http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2009/12/30/why-choose-high-fibre-foods/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:48:01 +0000 Sandra http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/?p=73 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> In recent years, the message from medical research has become increasingly clear; a diet rich in high-fibre foods (such as fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals) protects against several common disease conditions. It also assists in controlling weight as high-fibre foods are ‘calorie bargains’, that is wholesome, low-calorie substitutes for fatty foods.
Several epidemiological studies have suggested a protective effect of fibre-rich foods in populations with low rates of bowel cancer. Scientists are particularly encouraged by the findings of Japanese research based on a very large population sample showing a direct relationship between daily consumption of green and yellow vegetables and low rates of cancer at most sites.
Many Australians eat far less fibre than the 25 g to 30 g daily recommended by nutritionists. Even rich sources of fibre contain only about 6 g per serve. Thus eating the proverbial ‘apple a day’ is far from adequate; four or five servings or portions of high-fibre foods are advisable. Excellent sources of fibre include beans, dates, nuts, prunes, berry fruits, apples, oranges, pears, bananas, apricots, figs, bran cereals, corn ears, peas, spinach, potatoes, lentils, brussel sprouts, parsnips and wholegrain breads. Although it is uncertain whether fibre itself confers nutritional benefits, it clearly assists body functions related to cancer risk. In particular, fibre speeds the passage of food through the digestive system, influencing rates of nutrient absorption and of waste excretion. Such influences appear to benefit the bowel environment, apparently reducing the risk of cancer.
The vitamin A and C groups and minerals found in small quantities in many fibre-rich foods also seem to play an important role in cancer protection. Fruits and vegetables rich in these vitamins (as well as fibre) include broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, peaches, plums, tomatoes and watermelon.

Nutritionists consider the best way to obtain such micronutrients is within whole foods rather than separately in high dose tablets or liquid preparations. They argue that mega-doses of vitamins and minerals can create dietary imbalance and may even prove toxic when taken in excess.
To gain maximum nutritional value from fruits and vegetables, eat them fresh where possible; cook vegetables complete with skins; steam or bake fruits and vegetables, rather than boiling them; and reduce cooking time to the minimum.

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]]> http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2009/12/30/why-choose-high-fibre-foods/feed/ 0 Assimilation of Food Is Improved By Meatless Cookery http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2009/11/09/assimilation-of-food-is-improved-by-meatless-cookery/ http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/2009/11/09/assimilation-of-food-is-improved-by-meatless-cookery/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:20:00 +0000 Sandra http://www.health-guide-recipes.com/blog/?p=46 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Ordinarily, meat is a potent source oh highly concentrated protein. Many people are unable to properly assimilate this dynamite-source of protein and have painful digestive spasms. Their systems become overloaded with toxic wastes and residues of incompletely assimilated meat proteins. This may lead to problems of gastrointestinal distress as well as an impure bloodstream. Intestinal putrefaction is frequently caused by an overloading of such residues. To improve assimilation, meatless cookery provides a gentle form of protein that is not as highly concentrated as that found in meats but is nevertheless as beneficial when thoroughly assimilated.

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