Bean Happy

Beans might possibly be the most underrated food there is. And I’m not talking here about those canned pinto beans from the supermarket. I’m talking about real beans. The kind you soak overnight and then simmer in the morning until their skins blister and fall off and what’s left is the pure creamy interior, made perfect by an unadulterated sprinkle of sea salt and a fork.

There are many positive attributes to fresh shell and dry beans, cost being at the top of the list. Where else can you find a whole and healthy protein and complex carbohydrate source for under five dollars? Not to mention all the different varieties. Beans are seasonal, you know, and like anything else taste better when you pair them with the proper time of year. If you can get your hands on fresh shelled beans, consider yourself lucky. These beans are fantastic in soups and stews and taste great with a minimalistic approach of just a splash of olive oil and sea salt.

Never cooked your own pot of beans? No time like the present! There’s many different ways to do it but I tend to go the old fashioned route.

1. The night before you plan to cook the beans, measure out desired amount and put in a stockpot covered with double the amount of cold water. cover the pot and let sit overnight.

2. The next morning, drain the water, add fresh water and simmer for roughly an hour and fifteen minutes (depends on which kind of bean you are cooking) until the beans are tender. Drain and season beans.

It may seem like a hassle but if you soak the beans overnight and then in the morning cook them while you are going through your typical morning procedure before work, it works perfectly. And once you taste beans you  have cooked yourself instead of the canned variation, you will never go back.