Weekday bean/legume based meals in 15 minutes

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3aday
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Weekday bean/legume based meals in 15 minutes

Post by 3aday » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:38 pm

Weekday bean/legume based meals in 15 minutes

Disclaimer: I am not a chef...these are just basic meals that are fast!

I just wanted to post some of my super quick legume based dinners.
I wanted to incorporate some very fast, inexpensive recipes into my life because I wanted to stop ordering out during the week.
Bean and legume dinners are easy for me.
I just open a can of beans, rinse, drain and pour them into a pot in which I have sauteed olive oil and other easy to find ingredients.
Plus, I am a terrible cook and I find I can't mess these super simple dinners up!
I tend to leave the more extensive dinners to hubby, restaurants and pizza places on the weekends... 8)

I am not a vegetarian/vegan but these are vegan friendly for the vegan posters out there.

You can also add chopped veggies if you have them on hand if you like (peppers, zucchini, eggplant....). They are very easy to personalize.

Also, the choice of side is up to you...we tend to use white rice. I swear, my husband can eat rice every day! Well, I can too...:shock:
Also, hubby likes to eat bread with his meals so you can supplement the sides as you like.

white beans with sauteed chopped green olives with pimentos, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil and sea salt
side of tomatoes and drained green beans drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt

black beans topped with chopped red onion
arugala (or spinach or romaine) and tomato salad drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt

red beans sauteed in olive oil, white onion, red pepper flakes, a splash of white vinegar and sea salt
side of tomatoes and drained green beans drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice, and sea salt

lentil soup drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice
arugala (or spinach or romaine) and tomato salad drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt

cold white bean salad made cannellini beans, chopped red onion, green olives, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, drained canned grean beans and sea salt (make sure to leave out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving if you had it in the fridge...the olive oil tends to coagulate in the fridge and leaving it out returns it to a normal consistency.)

Jessies Daughter
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Post by Jessies Daughter » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:49 pm

Thanks 3aday,

All of these sound both quick, good and healthy. I have been looking for some bean based meals and yours have filled the bill!

I am going to have the cold salad for lunch today!!
I call this a No S “Thingyâ€. I have never been on a successful “Dietâ€. My brain thinks a "Thingy" is a new way of eating food, a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

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CrazyCatLady
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Post by CrazyCatLady » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:51 pm

I have never in my life cooked such dishes! Thank you so much for the great ideas! So you just buy canned beans and kick them up? Amazing!

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fkwan
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Post by fkwan » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:59 pm

You can't beat Tex Mex bean salad:

Salad
Pinto beans (or for nonpurists, any bean or combination will do) or black beans
Crumbled tortilla chips OR yellow hominy
Seasoning: salt, red pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dash of masa (cornmeal), cumin
Cheese for nonvegans, nutritional yeast for vegans
Red or green salsa
1-2 tb. pumpkin seeds for extra thrills

Makes you happy for 24 hours. :D

f
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Beginning weight: 115
Currently: Haven't a clue

3aday
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Post by 3aday » Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:17 pm

Yep, canned beans for me.
I try to keep things simple in the kitchen for the benefit and safety of my husband and anyone living in my apartment complex!
Even my husband likes these quick and simple bean dishes.
Hubby has gotten used to meatless dinners during the week.
These meals have gotten me into the habit of preparing food (I still buy prechopped onions at my grocery store but eventually I will learn to do my own).
Sometimes, I'll stop at the Chinese takeout place on my way home and pick up their smallest container of cooked white rice for one dollar if I am really in a hurry. It's amazing how much rice is in the small containers.
But, I am trying to get out of that habit too since a bag of rice is less expensive.
Another plus of cooking beans is that my grocery bill has gone way down.

I also have another simple recipe that my husband hates but I think it's tasty:

sautee onions and garlic in olive oil, add water and cook couscous in the same pot, sprinkle some sea salt and then add drained canned pineapple and raisins.

I went to dinner at friends house years ago and I really liked the texture and flavors of the above dish.

I hope someone likes it! :D

3aday
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Post by 3aday » Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:19 pm

The Tex-Mex salad sounds yum!
I love pinto beans and tortilla chips!
I will have to try it.
:D

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Post by blueskighs » Sat Jun 07, 2008 5:38 pm

3aday,

thanks for the tips and I am going to print them out!

I know you used can beans, but if/when your ready ... it is SHAMELESSLY easy to cook beans in a crock pot, then you can freeze them in batches and it would be so easy to do your recipes from there.

I used to use can beans till I tried pressure cooker, it may seem daunting but it really is not. ANYWAY ... I alwasy have packets of frozen beans in my freezer ... I am going to have to pull some out and try some of your recipes.


Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey

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Shirls
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Post by Shirls » Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:23 pm

These recipes sound delicious Here's one of my favourites:
Veg & bean curry
I can curried tomatoes (or a can of plain tomatoes with a tablespoon of curry powder & a dollop of chopped garlic & ginger)
1 can mixed beans (pinto, chickpeas,, butter beans and small white beans)
Two or three sliced courgettes
6 - 8 button mushrooms cut in half
A handful of green beans chopped
A medium par cooked potato
1 sliced green pepper
An onion if you like it - I leave it out.
Put all ingredients in a pot, and bring to the boil. Then either simmer on stove top until veggies are tender or turn it into a casserole dish and microwave for ten minutes on high.
It's very good served in a roti or tortilla wrap.
Next day it's just great cold on a sandwich or reheated for another supper.
Don't wait for the storm to be over - learn to dance in the rain.

3aday
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Post by 3aday » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:43 pm

I have a pressure cooker....
I have had it for two years under my sink! :shock:
I always say....this week, I am going to use the pressure cooker and two years later....I am saying the same thing.
I keep hearing it's wonderful and super easy but mine is big and scary and it came without directions...but I once saw someone make a mashed hummus recipe with real garbanzos and I think one day I will be inspired enough to make it.
I gave my crockpot away about a year ago. :(
When I decluttered my tiny kitchen, I gave away the crockpot because I never used it and I swear...the day after I gave it away, people started giving me all of these easy sounding crockpot recipes!
Now that I am attempting cooking, I should probably buy a small one for the hubby and I.

Shirls, I can't wait to give your recipe a whirl too!

3aday
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Post by 3aday » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:44 pm

I forgot to add blueskighs...I really love your blog.
I want to take pics of my meals but the are not as pretty as yours! :shock:

eljay
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Post by eljay » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:55 pm

This is what I ate last week, copied from my reply to a "what's for dinner" thread on another board. I ended up adding a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes the next day, because it seemed like a good idea. For this tomato lover, it made it even yummier.
--------------------------------------------

I added meat to this, as I had some lean pork in the fridge not getting any fresher, and had to guess how much fresh kale would turn into a 10 ounce box of frozen, but it came out great. From Nancy Dell'Aria in Woman's Day magazine 4/1/07:

Black Beans on Rice -- 4 servings, $1.38/serving

2 tsp oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cube chicken or vegetable broth (she just means a boullion cube; it's a budget recipe. A cup of real broth would be fine.)
1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped kale
2 cans (15.5 oz each) black beans, rinsed
2 tsp smoked paprika (a traditional mainstay of Spanish cooking, replaces all or some of smoked meats in recipes. McCormick Spices carries it.)
1 tsp each dried thyme and ground cumin

1) Heat oil in a 3-qt saucepan. Add onion and saute 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds or until mixture is fragrant.
2) Add 1 cup water, the broth cube and kale. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes until kale thaws. Add beans, paprika, thyme and cumin; simmer 5 minutes to develop flavor.
Serve over rice with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

If you use fresh kale, it's 1/3 of a bunch or a bit less. Cut out the center stalk, chop the leaves, then just go ahead and blanch (boil seperately for a couple of minutes) and drain them before adding to the recipe. Give them the same amount of time the recipe gives the frozen stuff so that they cook down quite a bit.

blueskighs
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Post by blueskighs » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:08 pm

Kale is so gooooooood! and so goooooooooood for you!

Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey

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BrightAngel
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Post by BrightAngel » Sun Jun 08, 2008 1:04 am

I just have to say,
A lot of you guys eat really wierd S***.
:wink:
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eljay
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Post by eljay » Sun Jun 08, 2008 1:42 am

blueskighs wrote:Kale is so gooooooood! and so goooooooooood for you!
It was good! And it's a good thing that it's good for you, cos I have 2/3 of a big bunch to use up! :wink:

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Post by Laff » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:47 am

I love beans and make some kind of bean dish once a week. Usually it makes a second meal so I get two meatless meals out of it. However, I have never thought of using the pressure cooker (which I use mostly for stews). Do you still need to pre-soak the beans? It isn't a big deal to soak them but it seems to be a big deal to remember to soak them!! Yesterday I used canned navy beans for the first time and they were surprisingly good. I do think that you get more salt than you need using canned though.
Thanks for all the ideas. Great thread!
Gotta smile. Laff

Achieving begins with believing!

3aday
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Post by 3aday » Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:37 pm

I always rinse the beans from the can really well to try to reduce some of the sodium and for taste too...
I grew up on beans....I love them.
I am of Spanish/Puerto Rican descent, I had a grandfather whose family was from Israel, my husband is originally from Turkey and we love other ethnic cuisines so we eat lots of weird stuff!
I don't do the weird meat stuff...I stay away from that....
My husband always wants to make tripe soup....Ugh!
Not in this house!

eljay
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Post by eljay » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:01 pm

How's your mercury level? :wink: Hope no one mindes that this is tuna and beans together, but it's just as handy and very summer-y:

Tuscan Tuna Salad, 4 servings
Woman's World, 8/21/07

Toss together
1 12-oz can tuna in water, drained and flaked
1 15/5-oz can great norther beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup pitted kalamata or black olives
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup Italian vinaigrette

Serve over baby spinach

wosnes
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Post by wosnes » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:40 pm

This or a Greek Village Salad with chickpeas. I could live on this or some variation of it all summer long.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/a-salad-palette/

Greek village salad: green bell pepper, cucumber, red or white onion, tomato, Kalamata olives, capers, and feta with a dressing made from lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. I usually add some lemon zest to the dressing, too.

Also lentils and rice (mujadara) topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Simple and sensational.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

Too solid flesh
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Weekday bean/legume based meals in 15 minutes

Post by Too solid flesh » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:18 pm

Feta and flageolet salad

This is a BBC Good Food recipe. Make a salad out of:

100g/4 oz fresh young leaf spinach
300g/10 oz tomatoes, cut into wedge
400g tin flageolet beans, drained and rinsed
200g feta

Plus dressing: 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp runny honey and 3 tbsp olive oil.

Serves 4. Really delicious.


Refried beans

Briefly fry 1 chopped onion plus 1 crushed clove garlic. Add 1 tsp cumin and cook for another minute. Drain two 400 g tins red kidney beans, and add beans to onion mix. Heat gently and mash. Serve with taco shells, salsa etc.


Red kidney bean stew

Fry one chopped onion with a knob of butter. Add two tins chopped tomatoes and two tins of drained kidney beans. Heat through. Serve with baked potato or brown rice.

wosnes
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Post by wosnes » Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:51 pm

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

Too solid flesh
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Post by Too solid flesh » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:24 pm

wosnes wrote:Oh, here's another one...

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/01/brown-bag-it.html
Delightful blog. Thank you, Wosnes.

I have made something like the dish in the blog, only hot: garlic, tinned chick peas and maybe some chopped tomato fried briefly in olive oil, then added lemon juice.

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bonnieUK
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Post by bonnieUK » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:20 pm

Thanks for the inspiration 3aday!

I find that bean based meals for lunch stop me getting that afternoon sleepiness that I can get from other foods, is this to do with the protein I wonder?

I get particularly sleepy if I have a bread based lunch, unless it's the kind of bread with seeds in (Vogels soya and linseed is my fave) with a proteiny filling, e.g. hummus or peanut butter.

You can wizz up some beans in a food processor with onions / garlic / spices / oil etc. for a quick sandwich filling too (something I don't do as often as I should!).

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bonnieUK
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Post by bonnieUK » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:24 pm

wosnes wrote:Oh, here's another one...

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/01/brown-bag-it.html
Good blog :) I particularly liked: "It’s not as though he never does nice things for me, because he does plenty. For example, he has single-handedly grown my collection of vintage Pyrex dishes from two pieces to sixteen in the span of only six months" LOL what is it with men and pyrex dishes? We have hundreds of the things, none of which I've bought :)

wosnes
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Post by wosnes » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:33 pm

bonnieUK wrote:
wosnes wrote:Oh, here's another one...

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/01/brown-bag-it.html
Good blog :) I particularly liked: "It’s not as though he never does nice things for me, because he does plenty. For example, he has single-handedly grown my collection of vintage Pyrex dishes from two pieces to sixteen in the span of only six months" LOL what is it with men and pyrex dishes? We have hundreds of the things, none of which I've bought :)
Maybe it reminds them of home and mom and comfort? Heck, who knows. I will have to say that I've not met a man who was smitten with Pyrex dishes.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

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