Recipes: Beans « ForkBytes

Smoky Black Beans with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

Smoked paprika lends a distinctively delicious flavor to this simple bean and tomato combination. This versatile main dish can be served on its own, over brown rice or another whole grain, wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla or flatbread, or even alongside tortilla chips as an appetizer. Add toppings as desired (Perfect Pan-Seared Chicken, lettuce, salsa, etc.) and enjoy!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons canned, chopped green chilies
4 cups cooked black beans (2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained)
dash chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a wok or sauté pan. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add tomatoes and chilies and cook, uncovered, 5 to 8 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in beans, chili powder, cumin, red pepper (if using), paprika, and cilantro or parsley. Cook until heated through; taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Pumpkin Hummus

Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

This month’s recipe is from Olga Berman, food enthusiast in the D.C. area. Check out her blog Mango & Tomato for more recipes and food photos and musings!

1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup pumpkin purée, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed and for drizzling
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a blender, combine all ingredients and purée until completely smooth. If needed, add more oil and/or water to achieve desired consistency. Serve drizzled with extra olive oil.

Chickpea Flour Mini Pizzas

Note: this piece first appeared as the June 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Makes 8 to 10 mini pizzas

These delicious pizzas make a delightful and elegant appetizer when topped with marinara sauce, finely diced peppers, and chopped herbs. They also make adorable kid-friendly fare when topped with olive “eyes” and zucchini “smiles.” Chickpea or garbanzo bean flour is available in natural foods markets.

1/2 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus an additional 1 teaspoon for drizzling
heaping 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
spray oil
toppings of choice (marinara sauce, veggies, herbs, proteins, cheese, etc.)

In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, sea salt, herbs, and garlic powder. Using spray oil, generously grease a medium skillet and place over medium to high heat. When the skillet is hot, drop in the batter by tablespoons. Cook the “pancakes” about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a paper towel to drain briefly. Add toppings of choice. If desired, place the mini pizzas under the broiler briefly to warm toppings and melt cheese, if using, before serving. Makes 8 to 10 mini pizzas.

Warming Ginger-Aduki Soup

Note: this piece first appeared as the March 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4

This warming, soothing soup includes aduki beans (also called adzuki, adzuki, azuki, or asuki beans), which are small reddish beans. Kombu, a sea vegetable, is also included to remineralize the soaked beans and improve digestion. Both these ingredients are available in health food stores and Asian markets.

1 cup dry aduki beans
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups chopped butternut squash
2 teaspoons grated ginger
generous pinch sea salt
1 2-inch piece kombu
6 cups chicken, fish, or vegetable stock

Rinse the beans and soak, overnight, in enough water to cover generously. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, squash, ginger, and sea salt and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved beans, kombu, and stock. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the beans are very tender, 40 to 60 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

You may serve the soup as is, or you may purée part or all of the soup prior to serving.

White Bean Spread with Thyme

Note: this piece first appeared in the June 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

2 cups cooked cannellini or navy beans (or 1 14.5-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
sea salt to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Combine all ingredients except water and thyme in a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth, adding water gradually as needed until desired consistency is reached. Stir in thyme and serve.

Simple Lentil-Garlic Soup

Note: this piece first appeared as the February 2007 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 1 to 2

This delicious, simple soup is quick to prepare. It’s perfect for a winter weeknight meal!

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 cups water or stock
pinch ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté briefly, then add shallots, carrot, and celery. Cook until just beginning to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add rinsed lentils, water or stock, white pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf and season with sea salt to taste. Ladle soup into serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley, if using.

Lentils & Rice

Note: this piece first appeared in the February 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

The use of kombu, a sea vegetable available in the macrobiotic/Asian section of the natural foods market, helps remineralize the lentils and rice and aids digestion.

Serves 3 to 4

1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
1 small piece kombu (about 2 inches long)
4 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup brown rice, rinsed

Place the lentils, kombu, and water in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and sauté until well browned. Set aside.

After the lentils have cooked for 15 minutes, add the onion and cooking oil (reserving some cooked onions for garnish if desired), salt, pepper, parsley (reserving some for garnish if desired) and brown rice. Re-cover and cook another 30 to 45 minutes or until the lentils and rice are tender, but not mushy. Garnish with reserved onions and/or parsley, if desired, and serve.

Aduki Squash Stew

Note: this piece first appeared as the November 2005 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 2 to 3

The unusual combination of thyme and cinnamon lends an interesting and tasty twist to this colorful dish. You’ll find aduki beans (also called adzuki beans, red dragon beans, or red wonder) in natural food stores. Cooking the aduki beans with kombu, a seaweed available dried in the macrobiotic/Asian section of natural food stores, helps stave off digestive distress from the beans. Leafy greens add flavor, nutrition, and a beautiful touch of color.

3/4 cup dry aduki beans
water for soaking
1 3-inch piece of kombu seaweed
2–3 cups water
1 winter squash (butternut, acorn, delicata, etc.), peeled and cut into pieces
small handful chopped greens, such as arugula or kale, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt

Sort and rinse the aduki beans, then soak them in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Add beans to a medium-sized soup pot along with the water and kombu. Bring to a boil; skim off foam if necessary. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25–30 minutes.

Add the squash to the pot and boil another 15–20 minutes or until squash and beans are just tender. Stir in greens, if using, and season with thyme, cinnamon, and sea salt. Garnish individual servings with extra chopped greens, if desired.

See step-by-step photos of this dish!

Aduki Squash Stew

Step-By-Step: Aduki-Squash Stew

For written instructions, see the original post: Aduki-Squash Stew

Start with 3/4 cup aduki beans (also called adzuki beans, red dragon beans, or red wonder beans). You can find these dried in natural food stores. Spread the beans on a plate and pick out any stones or other foreign material.

aduki_beans

Rinse the beans in a strainer or colander.

rinsebeans

Place beans in a bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Soak overnight.

soakbeans1

Pour the soaked beans into a strainer or colander and rinse again. Set aside.

pourrinsebeans

Next you’ll need some kombu. Kombu is a sea vegetable that you will find dried in the macrobiotic/Asian section of natural foods stores. It’s very helpful in preventing problems digesting the beans (as are all those extra rinses we did earlier). You need about a 3-inch piece of kombu. Trim the long strip with kitchen scissors. I like to rinse off my kombu before adding it to the pot.

kombucutrinse

Place the kombu in a medium-sized soup pot and add 2–3 cups water. Add soaked, rinsed beans. Bring to a boil and skim off foam if necessary. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25-30 minutes.

kombubeansboil

Meanwhile, prepare your winter squash (you can use any winter squash; I chose butternut). Peel the squash, then cut it into sections. Remove seeds with a spoon. Chop squash into bite-sized pieces.

squashprep

After your beans and kombu have simmered 25–30 minutes, add your squash pieces to the pot and cook another 15–20 minutes or until squash and beans are just tender.

squashcook

At this point, if your kombu hasn’t disintegrated into the stew, you can remove it, chop it, and add it back to the pot. This step is optional, but the kombu adds a lot of extra nutrition to the dish and isn’t really noticeable, so it’s a great way to sneak in extra veggies!

kombuchop

Stir in a handful of chopped greens, such as kale, arugula, or spinach, if desired. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and sea salt to taste.

addgreens

Garnish with more chopped greens and serve. Yum!

aduki-squash_stew

ForkBytes

Grab life by the fork

Smoky Black Beans with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

Pumpkin Hummus

Chickpea Flour Mini Pizzas

Warming Ginger-Aduki Soup

White Bean Spread with Thyme

Simple Lentil-Garlic Soup

Lentils & Rice

Aduki Squash Stew

Step-By-Step: Aduki-Squash Stew

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