Tag Archives: beans

shitake pinto bean burger

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

by legumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian, , ,

My friend Alexandra shared this fabulous recipe with me and is letting me share it with all of you.  

I love bean burgers but confess that sometimes I get tired of the same recipe over and over again.  I also usually make lentil or black bean burgers.  This recipe sparked my interest because it was a different kind of bean and the addition of shitake mushrooms.

Mushrooms can be a very wonderful food to add to your diet.  Asian cultures promote the use of mushrooms for the medicinal values, they do have healthy properties, and they are very tasty. Shitake mushrooms in particular have something called lentian in them, a substance that helps to boost the immune system, and studies indicate that it has anti-cancer properties.  Shitake mushrooms are also a good source of iron, vitamin C, and fiber as well as providing some protein.

Here's Alexandra's recipe, let us know what you paired it with.

shitake pinto bean burger

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/2 cups or 1 can of pinto beans
  • 1 cup rough chop shitake mushrooms
  • 1 small red onion diced
  • 1/2 cup green onions diced
  • 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tsp each of cumin and corriander
  • Sprinkle of chipotle chili powder

Instructions
 

  • Saute garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes
  • Add mushrooms, green onions, cumin and corriander
  • Cook for 2-3 minutes
  • While veggies are cooking, mash beans
  • Add veggies, chipotle chili powder, salt & pepper to beans, mix well
  • Shape into patties
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
  • Spread a bit of coconut oil on paper (helps with browning)
  • Place patties on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes
  • These are great topped with avocado and a side of greens. Enjoy

Luscious Limas

by legumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian,

Recently we had a our friend Eric over for dinner. As part of the meal we served this lima bean dish which is one that everyone likes. Eric not only had seconds, he asked for the recipe. I figure anytime you have a teenaged boy willingly eating lima beans and asking for more you've got a recipe that is a definite keeper.

 
Lima beans cannot be eaten raw as they contain a compound which turns into cyanide, however once cooked this compound is inactivated.  Lima beans are a good source of soluble fiber, with 13 grams in a one cup service.  This, coupled with their low glycemic index, make lima beans a good food for anyone looking to support more balanced blood sugars. 
 
Other benefits include:
 
  • An excellent source of iron, one cup offers nearly 25% of the daily recommended intake
  • Protein - one cup of lima beans can provide 15 grams of protein
  • A wonderful source of folate which is an important B vitamin that is vital for DNA synthesis and repair while also supporting cellular and tissue growth
  • Rich in isoflavones which have been shown to be anti carcinogenic for breast cancer 
  • A good source of potassium which supports protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism as well as supporting nerve and muscle function
  • There’s a good amount of manganese in lima beans; this co-enzyme supports metabolic activity as well as bone health
  • Also a good source of magnesium which is required for over 300 enzymatic functions in the body
 
Lima beans are tasty and versatile. They can be added to soups, stews, are delicious creamed, turned into a mash, and can be wonderful either baked or slow cooked.  This recipe is one of our favorites, especially when we can get fresh lima beans from the farmer’s market.
 

Luscious Limas

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 med. red onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 2 C. lima beans
  • 1/2 C. vegetable broth
  • olive oil
  • 1 t. nutritional yeast
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Saute the onion in the olive oil until just starting to soften
  • Add the celery and saute 2 more minutes
  • Add the lima beans and vegetable and cook on med-low until limas are cooked through
  • Add extra broth if needed
  • Sprinkle with nutritional yeast
  • Add salt and pepper to taste

 
beans

How To Eat Beans

by legumes, questions

My friend Sam writes, "Do you have some tricks to help me to eat beans? Me who HATES the texture of beans or anything remotely chalky. We do like Mexican but I won’t touch re-fried unless they are buried under cheese. I don’t like lentils in any way, shape or form."

Benefits

Beans are a great; high in fiber, B vitamins and protein they are an excellent food to add to the diet. Different beans have different micronutrients so varying the types of beans that you eat is a good nutritional choice. Right now beans are available fresh from the farmer's markets.

Recipes

They are very tasty, not chalky and make a great addition to a lot of different dishes such as my peas-y peas and celery.

Another great way to eat beans is to use them to make a spread like hummus. Hummus is made from chickpeas, but you can make something similar with other beans. Add spices and herbs to flavor it anyway you want; this makes a great dip for veggies, pita bread, or crackers.

One of my favorite ways to eat beans is to take cooked beans (although canned beans are fine too), mash them up with sauteed minced onion and garlic, add some chopped parsley and curry powder and make patties out of it. Pan fry the patties, stuff them into a pita with frisee lettuce, chopped tomato, and a delicious sauce (suggestions include tahini, spicy yogurt, or a falafel sauce) and you've got a great meal with beans.

A third suggestion would be to take dried beans, grind them into a flour (a grain mill works best for this although there is a KitchenAid attachment that will also do the job) and then add that to a tomato sauce for casserole dishes or put the flour into baked goods. You'll still get the protein and nutrients from the beans but they won't be so obvious in your food.

As the saying goes, beans are good for your heart. Eat some today.

Other Bean Recipes: