Cooking Bean Flour
No more soaking, boiling, simmering, waiting or mashing!
Soups, Sauces, Gravies, Thickeners Beans ground to a fine flour can be whisked
into boiling water and seasonings to make an almost instant soup or thickener in
only 3 minutes... (learn how in the Hearty Bean Soups Section), refried beans in
only 5 minutes for bean-filled burritos- from dry bean flour to first tasty
bite- in only minutes! See page 155 to make "Instant Mashed Beans"
which can be used in any recipe calling for cooked mashed beans, including
sandwich fillings and dips.
Bean flour combined with wheat flour accomplishes protein complimentation.
This timesaving method is an excellent way to increase the protein in your meals
and to introduce beans a little at a time. Bean flour can be used in any recipe
calling for flour by replacing up to 25% of the wheat flour with any variety of
bean flour. (I most often use lima or small white beans because they are the
mildest in flavor and lightest in color.) If the recipe calls for 2 c. flour,
you could add up to 1/2 c. bean flour. I usually add an extra egg or other
leavening.
Country Beans unlocks the mystery of how to make beans "User
Friendly"!
When we eat too many refined foods, our bodies no longer have the enzymes to
properly digest high in fiber beans and grains. Using one or all of the
following tips will help you overcome that four letter word - gass! (See
Information Section for more details.)
Use sprouted beans, as the sprouting process develops enzymes to help digest
beans more easily.
Soak beans using the overnight or quick soak method (see p. 178), then
discard soaking water. Add fresh water to cook beans. This process is more
helpful than adding soda, ginger, or other spices to eliminate gas.
Start with small amounts of beans or bean flour several times weekly in
soups, sauces, all baked goods, to help get used to them slowly (but surely!).
NUTRITIONAL ADVANTAGE OF BEANS
Most beans contain only 2-3% fat. You may never have to count calories again!
Beans are the perfect food for fat-restricted diets! Cholesterol? Beans contain
NO cholesterol, AND they can help lower your cholesterol level because they are
one of the richest sources of FIBER! High in Protein, Carbohydrates, B Vitamins
and Iron. Most beans contain at least 20% protein and are high in carbohydrates
which provide long-lasting energy. In addition. beans provide essential B
Vitamins and Iron. Adding beans to your daily meals insures total nutrition!
Basic Ingredients:
Vegetable- or Meat-based Bouillons and Soup Bases for Seasoning. Look for
those low in salt and without MSG. Bordens, Farmer Brothers, Knorr and Wyler's
are popular brands which can be purchased from Restaurant Supply or Grocery
stores. An excellent source for vegetarian "chicken" and
"beef" flavored soup seasonings is the SOUPerior Bean Company at P.O.
Box 753, Brush Prairie, WA, or call 1 (800) 878-SOUP. I usually double the
amount called for in a recipe when using SOUPerior soup seasonings.
Salt-Free Seasonings available from your grocery or health food store. Made
with herbs, spices and often sesame seeds. Also, see the Country Beans Seasoning
Section. (Excellent for seasoning cooked vegetables, patties, loaves and soups)
Herbs and Spices for seasoning
Flavorings - Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Sesame Oil (Flavored) -
available in Oriental section of grocery store
Sweeteners - Honey is used almost exclusively. Where powdered sugar is called
for, I generally use powdered turbinado sugar (instructions in Cooking Options
Section).
Grains - Wheat, Rice, Barley, Oats - Whole, Cracked, Rolled and as a Flour
Beans - Whole, Cracked, Ground to a Flour, Raw, Bottled, Canned, Cooked,
Sprouted, Frozen
Varieties: Black, Blackeye Peas, Garbanzo, Great Northern, Kidney, Lima, Mung,
Navy, Pea, Pinto, Red, Pink, Soy, Green and Yellow Whole and Split Peas, Red and
Green Lentils
Non-Instant Dry Milk Powder (less expensive than instant powder and stores
longer) Note: Maple Island Instant is a good milk to use as it is powdered and
does store well.
For WHEAT-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE baking, wheat flour is replaced with a
combination of white or brown rice flour, xanthan gum, potato starch flour,
pinto bean flour, teff flour, corn flour and tapioca flour. See next page for GF
(Gluten Free) baking mix formula. Celiacs must also be careful to use GF soy
sauce, bouillons, and other seasonings called for in these recipes.
Equipment and supplies to have on hand
Cast iron or heavy skillet
Hand or electric grain grinder/cracker (See pp. 183-184 for sources.)
K-Tec Kitchen Mill and the GrainMaster Whisper Mill are guaranteed to grind all
types of beans and grains. Back To Basics hand mill to grind smaller quantities
of beans or grains from coarse crack to fine flour.
Hand food grinder or food processor
Heavy duty blender
Quart jars with sieve lids or sprouting trays
Colander
Large strainer
Wire whisk
Graters - large, medium and small
Muffin tins
Baking trays
Heavy saucepans with tight-fitting lids (stainless steel or cast iron are best)
Assorted casserole/cake pans
Non-stick cooking spray
Pressure cooker/canner (optional, but very helpful)
Cheesecloth or loose-weave fabric to make tofu
Rita's Gluten-Free Baking Mix
(If you have wheat or gluten allergies, use this mix in place of wheat and
bean flour called for in the breads, cakes, cookies and some cereals in this
book. Adding extra protein in the form of eggs helps produce a lighter product.)
Check your health food store for these products.
3 c. brown rice flour
1 1/2 c. potato starch flour
1 c. tapioca flour
1 c. pinto bean flour
2/3 c. corn flour
1/2 c. teff flour (for "brown" color)
2 t. xanthan gum
SAMPLE RECIPE:
SPICY HONEY NUTS
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. white bean flour
1/4 t. ea. ginger and cinnamon
1/2 c. dry milk powder
1/4 c. melted honey
1/2 c. brown sugar (opt.)
2 t. pure vanilla extract
approx. 6 T. water
Mix dry ingredients. Using electric mixer or rotary egg beater, drizzle in
honey and vanilla and only enough water to make a fine, crumbly mixture. DO NOT
make a dough. Note: Because moisture content of flours vary, the amount of water
used will differ. The mixture should be similar in size and texture to dry
commercial Grape Nuts. Spread evenly on a large baking sheet and bake at 325°
for 10 minutes. Stir to break up granules and bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until
golden brown. Allow to cool and serve with milk or store in air-tight container.
Country
Beans