Category Archives: Dry Beans

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, and Sikil Paak

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Quinoa, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 501kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker
1 Large food processor

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb garbanzo beans
bean spices

Quinoa

2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

1 cup pepitas
1 serrano pepper
4 cloves garlic trimmed
1 small cilantro toughest stems chopped off
1 large lime zested and juiced
½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Sides

4 large bell peppers sliced
½ cup sesame seeds

Instructions

Beans

Soak the garbanzo beans in 1% salted water for 8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.)
1 lb garbanzo beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. (If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water.) If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 8-12 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 30-40 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.
bean spices

Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa and drain well. Add to a large sauce pot.
2 cups quinoa
Add the 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on the kind of quinoa. Cook until done and all liquid has been absorbed.
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

Add the sikil pak ingredients to a food processor. Mix until everything is combined. Lightly salt, if desired.
1 cup pepitas, 1 serrano pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small cilantro, 1 large lime, ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Assembly

Once all ingredients are ready, add to small containers in roughly equal proportions, starting with qunioa and beans, then the sikil pak then the sesame seeds and bell pepper slices.
½ cup sesame seeds, 4 large bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Amount Per Serving

Calories 501 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 516mg22%

Potassium 1035mg30%

Carbohydrates 73g24%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 2957IU59%

Vitamin C 111mg135%

Calcium 191mg19%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

December 25, 2021 Sam

Shakshuka, possibly meaning “all mixed up” in Arabic, is traditionally in the US considered to be tomatoes, bell peppers, eggs and feta ^{[citation needed]}. But given the (very briefly researched) word origin, I’m mixing it up.

One of my problems with the “traditional” shakshuka, which I still love, is that the eggs don’t save well. So I wanted to find a way to make the delicious base but make it more leftover-friendly.

For this, you can leave out the eggs, because the large white lima beans provide the necessary texture and protein to make this more than a tomato soup.

Print Recipe

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Bean Time6

Total Time6 45

Course: Brunch, Dinner

Cuisine: California, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 479kcal

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

Beans

½ lb dry lima beans
bean spices (bay leaf, red pepper, peppercorns, a little salt, celery stalks, garlic cloves)

Main Dish

3 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes finely diced
1 large jalapeno pepper small diced
2 large red bell pepper chopped
½ bunch cilantro thick stems removed then chopped
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Optional

4 large eggs

Instructions

Beans

I think white lima beans do best in a slow cooker, or slowly cooked in some method. My method is to rinse the beans, add to a slow cooker with 2 quarts water, some salt, and various bean spices (in a bag or tea steeper, except for large items like celery and bay leaves).
½ lb dry lima beans, bean spices (bay leaf, red pepper, peppercorns, a little salt, celery stalks, garlic cloves)
Set to high and cook for 3-8 hours, depending on the age of beans, the amount of salt, what your slow cooker considers "high" and various other variables.
When the beans are soft and creamy, remove from heat, remove cooking spices, drain off some of the water (so you have just enough to cover the beans) and add salt so it stops it from cooking further. If you're ready to cook the shakshuka, proceed. Otherwise, store in the fridge until ready to cook.

Shakshuka

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prep your ingredients as specified above.
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof, wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
1 small yellow onion, 2 large red bell pepper, 3 tbsp olive oil
Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, another minute or two. Add the sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Add half of the cilantro and mix well.
4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, ½ bunch cilantro
Add the tomatoes and jalapeno and sauté for about 5 minutes until everything begins to come together and some of the water is demonstrably cooking off. Add salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp may be too much, leave it a bit undersalted here).
28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 large jalapeno pepper, 1 tsp salt, Fresh ground black pepper
Add the beans and mix well. (Save cooking liquid still.)
Carefully place the skillet in the preheated oven, uncovered, and bake for 15 minutes (if the beans are warm) or 20 minutes if the beans were in the fridge. If it gets dry, add some of the bean liquid.
[Optional] If you are using the eggs, remove the dish from the oven. Using the back of a spoon, make four pockets in the mixture. Crack an egg into each pocket and lightly salt and pepper the tops of the eggs. Place back in the oven, covered, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the eggs are set. (Less time if you like runny eggs.] Remove and keep covered for 5-10 minutes, or serve immediately if you like runny eggs.
4 large eggs
Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve right from the skillet.
½ bunch cilantro

Notes

Nutrition facts include the eggs. It would decrease the calories by about 70/serving, and fat and protein by ~5g/serving, and remove all cholesterol.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 186mg62%

Sodium 978mg43%

Potassium 2129mg61%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 3491IU70%

Vitamin C 133mg161%

Calcium 167mg17%

Iron 9mg50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker, Projects

Vegan Chorizo

September 22, 2021 Sam

This fantastic replacement chorizo is not only a good simulacrum to meat-based chorizo, I think it tastes even better. It’s spicy, crunchy and flavorful. While it appears to be complicated, it is reasonable given the quantity you end up with is easily several servings. It goes well in burritos, tacos and bowls. Serve with other beans, veggies, avocado, or anything else.

Print Recipe

Vegan Chorizo

Fantastic vegan alternative

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Bean Soaking Time8

Total Time9 30

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: California, Mexican

Keyword: Dry Beans, Inspired by Joe Yonan, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 421kcal

Equipment

1 pressure cooker
1 large skillet
1 bean or potato masher
1 small food processor

Ingredients

Beans

115 g garbanzo beans
Bean spices

Quinoa

1 cup dried quinoa red preferred
1½ cups water
¼ tsp salt

Everything Else

¾ cup walnuts
2 dried ancho chiles
1 tbsp ground chipotle chile
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ cup bread crumbs panko-style
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt smoked or kosher
⅔ cup neutral oil

Instructions

Beans

Rinse the beans. To soak them, add to a medium bowl along with 1 quart water and 2 tsp salt. Mix well. Set aside for at least 6 and up to 10 hours. Drain.
115 g garbanzo beans
Place the beans in pressure cooker (electric or stovetop). Cover with about 1” water (a bit more if unsoaked). Add various bean spices (e.g., bay leaf, dried red pepper / pepper flakes, peppercorns, celery seed, garlic, onion) either in a spice bag or a metal steeper.
Bean spices
Pressure cook for 7-10 minutes on high; for new and well-soaked beans, use 7 minutes, for shorter-soaked or older beans, go to 10 minutes. For completely unsoaked beans, cook up to 40 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
If beans are not fully soft, you can bring to pressure again for 1-2 minutes and then release pressure manually and that should finish them off. If they seem to need a lot more time, try cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes and then releasing pressure after 5-10 minutes.
Drain and set aside.

Quinoa

Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Rinse the quinoa. Add the quinoa, a bit less than 1½ cups water and ¼ tsp of salt and stir well. Once it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until done and the quinoa has fully absorbed the water and is fluffy, about 35 minutes. If any liquid remains but the quinoa is cooked, leave uncovered while the heat stays on medium-low and occasionally (ever 2-3 minutes) stir it up so the steam can release. Once the water is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and leave uncovered.
1 cup dried quinoa, 1½ cups water, ¼ tsp salt

Everything Else

Toast the walnuts on a large, heavy-bottomed dry skillet over medium heat, for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so to prevent scorching. Let cool and then chop or crush. Leave skillet for future steps.
¾ cup walnuts
Cut open the ancho chiles and discard the seeds and stem. Cut into ½” pieces and transfer to the small food processor. Add chipotle, pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and cloves. Process until everything is finely ground.
2 dried ancho chiles, 1 tbsp ground chipotle chile, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin
Once the beans and quinoa are done, add the beans to a very large bowl. Mash the beans well. Add the quinoa and let cool for a few minutes (if fresh off the stove).
Stir all ingredients together except the oil. That is, add the chopped walnuts, spice mixture, the soy sauce and salt, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until everything is well-combined.
¾ cup walnuts, ½ cup bread crumbs, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp salt
In a very large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat ⅓ cup of neutral oil until it is hot and add half of the chickpea mixture. Stir as it cooks until it absorbs most of the oil. Spread it out and leave it undisturbed for a minute, then stir and scrape it around before spreading it out again. Repeat this process until it has developed darker color and is crispier, about 10 minutes total. Scoop into a bowl and repeat with the second half and another ⅓ cup oil.
⅔ cup neutral oil
Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container (for up to one week). It freezes well (up to three months).

Notes

Nutrition is for one of eight servings; it likely makes more than that, depending on what else you are eating with it.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Chorizo

Amount Per Serving

Calories 421 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 465mg20%

Potassium 512mg15%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 2638IU53%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 64mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Pasta e Fagioli

September 5, 2021 Sam

The classic Italian soup has two of the best ingredients: beans and pasta. This cannot be made with canned beans because the broth is a critical component of the meal. Serve with another great carb: bread. Delicious for chilly days!

Print Recipe

Pasta e Fagioli

Classic Italian bean & pasta soup

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Simmer Beans2

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Inspired by New York Times, Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 491kcal

Ingredients

Beans

½ lb dry Borlotti or cranberry beans
bean seasonings bay leaf, onion, garlic, celery seed or flakes, peppercorns

Bouquet garni

2 bay leaves
1-2 Parmesan rinds
1-2 sprigs parsley, thyme, or other aromatic herb (except rosemary)

Soup

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary about ½ tbsp chopped
4 large garlic cloves minced
28 oz chopped tomatoes
½ tbsp salt estimate; may use less
1 tsp freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 dried chili de arbol or up to ½ tsp red pepper flakes
6 oz small dried pasta shells
2 oz Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

Beans

Measure, rinse and drain the dry beans. Add to a bowl and cover with water. Add enough salt to bring the water to about 1% salinity. Set aside for 4-6 hours.
½ lb dry Borlotti or cranberry beans, bean seasonings
Once beans have soaked, drain the beans and add to a large pot, preferably one with a lid that doesn't let too much moisture escape. Add 2 quarts water. Add the bean seasonings in a spice bag or other method so they don't get mixed in with the beans.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the beans have boiled for about 5 minutes, turn down to a very gentle simmer (usually around low, medium-low) and cook for another 20 minutes. Then check the texture – depending on various factors (age of beans, type, water hardness, soaking time, temperature, etc.), beans may be done cooking as quickly as 20 minutes after turning down to simmer or as long as 2 hours. If beans are cooking very fast and have softened all the way, you can remove from heat immediately, add salt and drain the beans (save the liquid!) and keep separate from the liquid to slow the cooking process.
Important: save all of the bean liquid. Make sure you have at least 6 cups; if not, add enough water to bring to 6 cups.

Bouquet garni

While the beans are in the final stages of cooking, prepare the bouquet garni by assimbling the bay leaves, parmesan rinds and aromatic herbs using cooking twine, cheesecloth, or other method. Set aside.
2 bay leaves, 1-2 sprigs parsley, thyme, or other aromatic herb (except rosemary), 1-2 Parmesan rinds

Soup

Once beans are nearly done or fully done, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven and add chopped onion.
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 large yellow onion
Cook, stirring, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and garlic and stir together for another minute, until garlic is fragrant.
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 large garlic cloves
Stir in tomatoes and hot pepper. Add salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is very fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
28 oz chopped tomatoes, ½ tbsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground pepper, 1 dried chili de arbol
Add 6 cups broth from the beans, tomato paste, bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
1 tbsp tomato paste
After it has simmered, stir in beans and heat through. Taste and adjust salt.
At this point, you should separate what you will be serving momentarily vs what will be saved for future meals. This makes about 4 servings, so if you're serving two, you should separate and store half.
For the portion you are serving imminently, add about 3 oz pasta shells and cook until they are al dente, about 10-15 minutes for typical dry pasta. Serve topped with Parmesan.
6 oz small dried pasta shells, 2 oz Parmesan cheese

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Pasta e Fagioli

Amount Per Serving

Calories 491 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 10mg3%

Sodium 1100mg48%

Potassium 1345mg38%

Carbohydrates 79g26%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 411IU8%

Vitamin C 23mg28%

Calcium 327mg33%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Indian, Rotation, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Baked Rajma with Tofu

July 31, 2021 Sam

This dairy-free take on rajma is delightful. You won’t even miss the lack of paneer, like in the other version. Make sure you get a good quality tofu – like Hodo.

Print Recipe

Baked Rajma with Tofu

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 587kcal

Equipment

Large, oven-safe skillet or all-in-one pan
Small food processor
Water kettle
Sheet pan

Ingredients

Beans

1½ cup dry kidney beans
Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices

Rajma

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
1 serrano pepper top removed
1 inch fresh ginger cleaned and mostly peeled
2½ tbsp neutral oil ½ tbsp for the tofu
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes or 2 lb fresh tomatoes
½ tsp ground ancho chile powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp fenugreek leaves
20 oz tofu cut into bite-sized cubes
½ bunch cilantro optional leaves chopped for serving on top

Pickled onion:

1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Instructions

Soak the kidney beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours. As the first step, before preparing ingredients, drain the soaked beans, add to a large sauce pot and cover with plenty of water. Cover and turn heat to high. While it comes to a boil, put your various bean spices (kombu, bay leaf, etc.) into a disposable or reusable spice bag and add to the water. Boil for at least 10 minutes, for kidney-bean-safety reasons. Then turn down heat to a gentle simmer and cook for another 15-45 minutes, checking frequently, until softened 99% of the way. (They will cook very slightly more in the oven.)
1½ cup dry kidney beans, Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices
Prepare all ingredients as above and measure out spices as needed. Then, quarter the onion. Thinly slice half and set aside. Rough chop the remaining half and add to a small food processor with the garlic, serrano and ginger. Chop until small, scraping down the sides as needed.
1 large red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 serrano pepper, 1 inch fresh ginger
When beans are nearly done, begin the next steps. In a large, oven-proof skillet, preferably with high walls, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Add the cumin and mix for 30 seconds. Then add the ginger, onion and pepper mix and cook until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to darken (8-10 minutes).
1 tsp cumin, 2½ tbsp neutral oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a sheet pan on one shelf. Mix the cubed tofu with about ½ tbsp oil, just enough to cover, and a light dusting of salt and pepper.
20 oz tofu
Add the cooked, drained beans and the ancho chile powder to pan and mix. You can mash a small portion of the beans (1-2 tbsp worth) to help thicken the sauce, if you’d like. Add the crushed tomatoes, garam masala and fenugreek leaves to the pan. Stir well and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on the stovetop.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tsp ground ancho chile powder, ¼ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves, 1 tsp salt
Spread the tofu onto a sheet pan. Place the tofu in the oven and set a timer for 7 minutes (for flipping the tofu). Cook the tofu until golden on a few sides, 15-20 minutes. When done, add directly to the beans/sauce and mix before allowing to cook longer.
At the same time as the tofu, add the rajma pan, uncovered, to the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes total, until the sauce has thickened. Stir 1-2 times while cooking, including when you add the paneer about halfway through. (See prior step.)
While everything bakes, pickle the thinly sliced onion. Boil water in the kettle. Add the sliced onions to a bowl. Pour boiling water on top and allow to sit for 30 seconds. Drain. In the wiped-clean bowl, stir together the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the bowl and stir in the vinegar. Allow to marinate.
1 tsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt
When the beans and paneer is done, garnish with the pickled onion slices, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.
½ bunch cilantro optional

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Rajma with Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 587 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 1348mg59%

Potassium 1065mg30%

Carbohydrates 103g34%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 348IU7%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 266mg27%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Low Calorie, Quick, Side, Summer

Corn and Black Bean Salad

July 17, 2021 Sam

This is great with fresh corn, especially if you’ve grilled some ears.

Print Recipe

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Delicious as a side or for a small lunch

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Marinating30

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 146kcal

Ingredients

1.5 cups corn kernels from about 2-3 ears corn
1.5 cups cooked black beans
1 cup diced tomatoes from 3-4 fresh
0.5 cup yellow or white onion finely diced
1 cup cilantro leaves coarsely chopped
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and minced
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
pepper freshly ground

Instructions

Combine all ingredients. Allow to stand for 1/2 hour. Taste for salt and pepper.
1.5 cups corn kernels, 1.5 cups cooked black beans, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 0.5 cup yellow or white onion, 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, pepper

Notes

Serves 6 (side portions)

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 146 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 471mg20%

Potassium 334mg10%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 279IU6%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Low Calorie, Quick, Spring, Summer

Garbanzo and Tomato Summer Salad

June 11, 2021 Sam

This simple garbanzo salad is great for summer. It maximizes that summer produce season and stores well. Serve it with bread to make it more filling and delicious.

Print Recipe

Garbanzo and Tomato Summer Salad

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Vegan

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 340kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

½ lb garbanzo beans
Bean spices
1.5 lb tomatoes chopped
2 medium red onion diced
½ bunch cilantro thick stems removed, chopped
4 persian cucumbers large-diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 limes zested and juiced
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Beans

Rinse then soak the garbanzos in 1% salinity water for at least 8 hours. Drain and add the beans to a pressure cooker. Cover with water by at least 1" or so. Add bean spices to the pot, in a spice bag if possible. Set timer for 7 minutes and cook on high pressure. Allow for pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes and then release remaining pressure.
½ lb garbanzo beans, Bean spices
Remove the beans and just enough water to cover the beans. Salt the water gently and mix well. Allow to cool some and then place in the fridge to cool until ready to assemble.

Assemble

Before serving, prepare other ingredients and then toss together.
1.5 lb tomatoes, 2 medium red onion, ½ bunch cilantro, 4 persian cucumbers, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 limes, Salt and pepper

Notes

Nutrition is based on 4 servings, but this could make 6 servings if served with bread

Nutrition

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner

Ratatouille Cassoulet

June 11, 2021 Sam

Vegan and rich, this is a great spring/summer dish that doesn’t seem to be too hard to make. It goes great with a side of bread, couscous or other grain.

Print Recipe

Ratatouille Cassoulet

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Cooling15

Total Time2 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French, Vegan

Keyword: Joe Yonan

Servings: servings

Calories: 216kcal

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
3 tbsp za'atar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
28 oz crushed tomatoes preferrably fire-roasted
4 oz dry flageolet beans or cannellini or other small white bean
8 oz eggplant thinly sliced
8 oz zucchini thinly sliced
8 oz yellow summer squash thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper tinly sliced
½ cup panko bread crumbs or other style

Instructions

Pre-soak the beans without salt for at least 8 hours, if not more like 12 hours. As you start to prepare the above ingredients, put the beans in a pot with water (soaking water is fine) and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat and keep covered.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil into a large, deep ovenproof skillet or flameproof casserole (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the za'atar, ½ tsp of the salt and ¼ tsp of the pepper and cook for both 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes and beans and stir to incorporate. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Starting at the outer edge of the skillet, arrange alternating slices of the eggplant, zucchini and summer squash in concentric circles on top of the tomato-bean mixture, tightly overlapping them. The idea is to lay each piece flat and then overlap the next piece by about half on top of it, continuing until the middle. Arrange the bell pepper on top.
Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Cover and bake the skillet for 1 hour. It will look soupy and the beans won't be quite tender. Uncover and sprinkle with the bread crumbs and return to the oven, uncovered. Bake for another hour until the bread crumbs are browned, the liquid is thickly bubbling around the edges and the beans on the bottom layer are very tender.
Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutrition based on six servings; likely is more like 3-4 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Ratatouille Cassoulet

Amount Per Serving

Calories 216 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 610mg27%

Potassium 1142mg33%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 1377IU28%

Vitamin C 65mg79%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Quick, Spring, Summer, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

April 8, 2021 Sam

I “invented” this one night when I wanted to make a quick meal but didn’t have much fresh food in the house. It’s simply but ultimately tasty, filling and nutritious. If you have a vegetable or salad side for the greens, it really would fill it out even better.

Print Recipe

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lentils, Quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 499kcal

Ingredients

200 g black lentils or green lentils
½ lb dry pasta farfalle, spiral or other small pasta preferred
15 oz canned crushed tomatoes or other unsalted, unseasoned tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp dry minced garlic, or ½ tsp garlic powder
1 onion optional
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 oz Parmesan optional

Instructions

First, cook the lentils. Heat at least 1 liter water in the kettle (or over the stove) until boiling. Add to a medium sauce pot and add about 1 tsp salt per liter. Add lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium-low, cover and cook for 10-20 minutes, depending on the lentil type. When done, drain lentils.
Heat an appropriately large pot of water over high heat (or use the kettle again to kickstart this) to cook the pasta. Cook according to package directions.
Prepare tomato sauce by heat oil in a skillet or Dutch oven and adding spices until they're fragrant. Then add crushed tomatoes and cook down some on a low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When lentils are done, combine with the tomato sauce. When pasta is done, combine with the whole thing. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top and a side vegetable or salad, if available.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 499 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 10mg3%

Sodium 378mg16%

Potassium 512mg15%

Carbohydrates 79g26%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 397IU8%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 271mg27%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dry Beans, Pressure Cooker

Pressure Cooker Dry Bean Recipe

March 5, 2021 Sam

Print Recipe

Basic Bean Recipe

This recipe assumes you're using a Instant Pot. It is only a minor difference to instead use a stovetop pressure cooker; just use a timer and assume high pressure (except when low pressure is mentioned).

Prep Time5

Cook Time1

Soak Time6

Total Time7 5

Servings:

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Spice bag

Ingredients

¾ cup dry beans
1 piece kombu about 4 square inches, which could be a 1” piece if it’s wide, or a 4” piece if it’s skinny – place in a spice bag to make it easy

Bean spices (options; place in spice bag, usually)

1 Bay leaf I put one in nearly pot of beans
½ tsp Peppercorns
¼ tsp Red pepper flakes up to 1 tsp or so, great addition to make the beans spicy to their core
⅓ tsp Oregano
Other potential herbs: rosemary, sage, and thyme
1 clove garlic or about ½ tsp granulated / powder
¼ onion or shallots
1-2 stalks carrots and celery these are particularly good additions if you plan on using the bean cooking water as the base of the rest of the dish.

Instructions

I recommend pre-soaking. Rinse the beans and remove any broken pieces. (You can leave in broken pieces if you are making a mashed-bean recipe.) Add to a medium mixing bowl along with about 1 quart water and 2 tsp salt. Mix well. Set aside for 4-8 hours, covered to make sure nothing gets into the soaking beans.
If you pre-soaked, drain the beans well before moving to the next step. If you did not pre-soak, measure and rinse the beans well before proceeding.
Place the beans in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Cover with about 1” water – I think this is usually about 1 quart water, but it’s not more than 2 quarts for this few of beans. You don’t want too much water. Add your bean spices (from above options), either in a spice bag (or wrapped in cheesecloth) or into the pot directly. Secure the lid.
Set the desired pressure-cooking time and bring to pressure. See below for times.
Once the machine has stopped the pressure cycle, I would recommend canceling the “Keep Warm” function (if applicable). Allow pressure to release naturally. I think this is the most critical part for soft, well-cooked, but unbroken beans. You should, however, not let this go longer than 25 minutes if you want whole beans as letting the pressure stay elevated (and therefore the water to stay above-boiling) may overcook the beans.
If beans are not fully soft, you can bring to pressure again for 1-2 minutes and then release pressure manually and that should finish them off. If they seem to need a lot more time, try cooking for an additional 5 minutes and then releasing pressure after 10 minutes.