Beans for Fat substitutions

Beans are so versatile, you can actually use them to replace some of the fat, to almost all of it, in your baking recipes.  My rule is I usually will replace about half of my oil or fat in any given recipe.  I have tried to replace it all, and sometimes I end up with dry - whatever - I am making.  But half beans and half butter or oil is a good bet.

Make sure your beans are cooked to soft and then puree them well in a blender.  If they are too dry, add a bit of water to your puree.

Take notice of the color of the item you are baking.  If the overall color is white, you will want to use white beans.  If you are making something chocolate, you can get away with brown or black beans pureed.  White mashed beans, however, can be used in pretty much anything, as they will blend right in and hide well.

If your recipe calls for oil, then use the equivalent of half your oil and substituted it for your pureed beans.  Same goes for butter or margarine, puree the beans or mash them well, and switch half your butter for beans.

Beans are cheaper than oils, and especially butter, it is much healthier, and it adds a great taste to your baking.  Try it!  You may even start to like it.

Be brave.....  I dare you!

Bean Flour

Bean flour can be made from most kinds of beans, except soy beans.  Soy beans have a high oil content, so do not make flour easily at home.  Garbanzo beans, black, pinto, mung, navy, lentils, are all good choices to make a flour with.  Most wheat grinders can easily grind up beans into a nice fine flour.  If you have a really  strong blender, you may be able to use it as well.  Never put soy beans through your wheat grinder.  Their oil content will gum up your grinder.

What would you ever use bean flour in?  You can substitute it for regular flour in pretty much any recipe.  It may change the color a bit, especially if you use black bean flour, and it may make for a denser loaf or cake.  My kind of standard rule of thumb, is I will only substitute about 1/3 of the flour for bean flour.  I may also add a bit of extra leavening agent, whether it is yeast, baking powder, soda, etc.

Bean flour can also be reconstituted with hot water, and used as a fat replacement in your baking.  You can easily substitute it for 1/2 of your oil content, and though your loaf may be a bit more dense, or cookies or whatever you are making, it will turn out good. 

It can also be used to thicken soups and stews, or in cream soups or casseroles to thicken the sauce.  As well, it can be reconstituted and become a delicious dip for crackers or chips.  With a variety of seasonings the possibilities are many.

It is a great way to add extra protein, iron and vitamins into your family's diet, without them even knowing it.

To make a soup base, or a cream soup, stir in about 1/3 cup of bean flour to about 2 cups hot liquid.  A little more or less depending on how thick you want it, and add it to your soup.

For a quick refried bean dip, use pinto bean flour and taco seasonings.

Bean flour is easy to make and nutritious to use.  After experimenting a little bit, you will find things your family really likes, so keep track of your recipes you try so you can come back to them often.

Beans - The Magical Food in so Many Ways

I did a vegetarian cooking information class today, and for those of you who attended it and want more information on cooking with beans instead of meat, I decided to repost here a more consolidated version of some of my other posts here on this site, and in one of my books.

I have been a vegetarian for pretty close to 27 years.  In that time, I have learned a few things....

Beans / legumes are way cheaper than meat - for example, let me do a little bit of math for you.
The average cost of feeding a family of 4 - 6 people, just in buying hamburger (cheap meat) is probably about $7 ish per meal.  Roast, steak, chops, chicken, etc. are all more expensive than that.  Let's say you only use $7 per meal and you only eat one meal with meat per day, that totals up to $2555 spent each year just eating one meal per day of cheaper meat, and totally not healthy.

I can purchase a 25 lb bag of beans for around $20.  I guess that I can easily get 70 meals at least, out of this bag of beans.  Because I use beans in baking and other things too, I figure I could use about 6 bags of beans per year.  Which total will come to about $120.

Difference of $2435 just because you used beans for one meal a day instead of hamburger.  Now I know it will be different for each of you and what you are used to eating.  Maybe you only want to replace meat for one or two meals a week.  Maybe you want to get rid of it all together.  It's up to you and what your family will tolerate.  But.....if you are looking for ways to save money on your groceries, this is definitely a way to make that happen.

Cooking with beans is actually quite satisfying as well.  It just takes a little bit more prep time, or being a little bit more organized in the kitchen.  There are several ways you can cook beans.

1.  Quick soak method.  Cover your beans with about three times as much water, bring them to a boil, and boil them for five minutes.  Remove them from the heat and let them stand, covered or not, as long as you need until you are ready to start cooking your meal.  I leave mine from morning until later in the day.  Drain the cooking water off and rinse them well.  Cover once again with water and bring to a boil again until they are soft and ready to use in your recipe.  Drain, rinse and use.

2.  Soak overnight method.  Cover them in 3 times as much water, soak them overnight or all day.  Drain and rinse well.  Cover with water again and bring to a boil and cook until soft.  Drain, rinse, and use in your recipe.

3.  Crockpot.  Cover with about 4 times as much water and turn on low for 4 - 6 hours until beans are tender.  Drain, rinse and use in recipe.

Once your beans are cooked, or pre soaked, either way, you can easily put some of them into containers or ziplocs and freeze them for other meals.  They will last in the fridge for several days as well to use in other meals.

I will post more on bean recipes, using bean flours, and other ways to cook with beans, here in the next several days.  I have lots to share, so keep watching.

I will share with you how to make and use bean flour, how to cook several kinds of beans at the same time, to get a variety in your meal, how to hide them in recipes like baking, and how to substitute some of the fat in your baking by using mashed beans.  Sounds delicious right?  Keep posted.