Black-Eyed Peas are sweet tasting and tone the spleen-pancreas and stomach meridian. Black-Eyed Peas help induce urination and relive damp conditions like leucorrhoea. Black-Eyed Peas are an excellent source of Calcium, Folate and Vitamin A.

PREPARATION: Before cooking Black-Eyed Peas, soak them for 4 hours, then pressure cook for 10 minutes, or simmer on the stove for 1 hour or till tender. 1 cup dried Black -Eyed Peas yields approximately 2 and a half cups of cooked peas. Cooked Black-Eyed Peas can be pureed into a delicious spread for Sandwich or crackers. Serve Black-Eyed Peas with rice and cooked collard greena for a taste of the South.

These cannellini Beans are low-fat, high in fibre and provide a high quality of magnesium, fibre, irin, and folate. They help cut cholesterol. The Cannellini Beans fibre binds to fat to help flush it from the body. Cannellini Beans prevents headaches and gives you energy to spare. Cannellini Beans are loaded with folate which helps lower levels of homocysteine, which clogs arteries.

Preparation: Before cooking, soak cannellini Beans overnight, then pressure cook for 18 minutes or simmer on top of the stove for 2 and half to three hours. 1 cup of dried cannellini Beans makes approximately 3 cups when cooked. Marinate cooked Cannellini beans in the refrigerator and add to salads, or puree them and use as a spread on crackers. Cannellini Beans can also be added to soups and stews.

Preparation: French Du Puy Lentils can be prepared the day of serving since they do not need to be pre-soaked. Before washing French Du Puy Lentils you should spread them out on a light coloured plate or cooking surface to check for, and remove, small stones or debris. After this process, place the lentils in a strainer, and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water. Use three cups of water to one cup of French Du Puy Lentils. French Du Puy Lentils placed in already boiling water will be easier to digest than those that were brought to boil with the water. When the water turns to boil, turn down the heat to simmer and cover for about 18 minutes.

PREPARATION: Before washing Navy Beans, spread them out on a dark coloured plate or cooking surface to check for and remove stones, debris or damaged beans. Then place the Navy Beans in a strainer, rinse them thoroughly under cool running water. To shorten cooking time and make them easier to digest, Navy Beans should be pre-soaked for 8 hours or overnight. Before cooking the Navy Beans, drain the soaking and rinse with clean water. To cook the Navy Beans, you can either cook them on the stovetop for 1 & half hours or use a pressure cooker for half an hour. For the stovetop add 3 cups of fresh water or broth for each cup of dried Navy Beans. The liquid should be 1 to 2 inches above the top of the beans. Bring the Navy Beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, partially covering the pot. Regardless of the cooking method, do not add any seasonings until after the beans have been cooked, since adding them earlier will make beans tough and greatly increase the cooking time.

Like most beans, Adzuki beans are rich in soluble fibre. This type of fibre binds to toxins and cholesterol aiding in their elimination from the body.

In Japan, Adzuki beans are known for their healing properties and are used to support kidney and bladder function. Adzuki beans are also known to as the “weight loss” bean because they are low in calories and fat but high in nutrients.

PREPARATION: The preferred method is to soak Adzuki beans in cold water for two to three hours and then simmer them on top of the stove for about an hour and half. They also cook well in a Crockpot or pressure cooker. In Japanese cooking, Adzuki beans are used in deserts in th efomr of a sweetened paste called koshi-an or tsubushi-an. When Adzuki beans are prepared with rice, the rice takes on a beautiful reddish-purple tint from the beans.

Can be eaten on their own with butter or used as a vegetable. They combine well with tomatoes and onions, garlic, spices and lemon juice. Use in curries, fritters, or as traditional `baked beans’.

Always soak dried beans for 12 hours in a non-metal container before cooking them. Cooking time will depend on the age of the bean and the cultivar used. Because of their long cooking time, only mix in salt and other
vegetables when the beans begin to soften.

`Beans are highly recommended for keeping cholesterol and blood-fat levels in check and for improving the overall health status of the cardiovascular system’, Diet and Health, Walter J. Veith, p.154.

500g

PREPERATION: Soak in water overnight before cooking. Discard the water.

Soaked legumes can be frozen in a freezer bag for later use. Sprouting greatly improves the Protein, Vitamin and Mineral availability. Sprouts may be used in salads, sandwiches or to add “crunch” to soups and stews.

More Info

Chick peas are classified as a legume and are gluten- and wheat-free. They are nutty flavored and are very rich in iron (gram for gram twice as much as steak) and calcium (far more than steak).

Legumes such as chick peas form the perfect companions to grains in that the combination of the two provides a better protein than animal protein – brown rice being the perfect grain for this purpose. Legumes are also a good source of essential fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Most legumes are alkali-forming. They are an ideal energy food – especially for young children. Underweight people will be especially benefited by including legumes in the diet.

Legumes contain insoluble and soluble fiber: the former promotes regular bowel movements, so helping to guard against constipation, as well as possibly lessening the risk of cancers of the colon and rectum; the latter has been connected with lowering blood cholesterol levels, thereby lessening the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Because the starches in legumes are digested and absorbed slowly, they allow a steady release of glucose into the blood – this is particularly useful for diabetics as it helps them to control their blood sugar levels.

Uses:

1. Chick Peas are a primary ingredient in stews, roasts, croquettes, patties, spreads, hummus, and falafel, and in many traditional Mediterranean dishes.
2. Chick peas can be used in the preparation of an excellent butter substitute.
3. Chick peas are ideal for sprouting.
4. Sprouted chick peas make a wonderful addition to salads – or they can be used in sandwiches – or to add “crunch” to soups and stews (if added just before eating).
5. Chick pea flour may be used to thicken soups and sauces. Chick pea flour may be used in any application where eggs are normally used to thicken a dish. In this application, one to two tablespoons of flour will do the work of one egg.

Cook’s Notes:

Legumes should always be soaked in water overnight before cooking. This will shorten the cooking time and remove some of the tannin and sugars that cause wind, and will activate the enzymes in the legume. The water must then be discarded and the legumes rinsed.

Soaked legumes can be placed in freezer bags and frozen for later use. Legumes should not form a major component of any meal as this can lead to intestinal discomfort and gas.

To improve protein value, serve chick peas together with grains.

Sprouting greatly improves the protein, vitamin and mineral availability and also reduces the concentration of indigestible carbohydrates present in the pea.

Special Credits: Diet & Health, Prof. W. Veith, p.153

PREPARATION: Before cooking, soak the beans in water for 8 hours, then pressure cook for 18 minutes, or simmer on the stove for 2 hours. 1 cup of dried black beans makes approximately 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans.

Preparation: (1 cup dry beans) Rinse Beans. Soak overnight to reduce cooking time. Drain. Add beans to 3 cups boiling water, and simmer covered for 60-90 min (soaked), 150 min (unsoaked).