Because of their high nutrient content, consuming beans and peas is recommended for everyone, including people who also eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly. The USDA food patterns classify beans and peas as part of the Protein Foods Group. Individuals can count beans and peas as either a vegetable or a protein food.
Green peas, green lima beans, and green (string) beans are not considered part of the beans and peas subgroup. Green peas and green lima beans are similar to other starchy vegetables and are grouped with them. Green beans are grouped with other vegetables such as onions, lettuce, celery, and cabbage because their nutrient content is similar to those foods.
Legumes are sold in many forms. They are available as fresh pods, such as green beans, and in dried pods, such as the tamarind. Lima beans are examples of legumes available as fresh seeds, and dried seeds include black-eyed peas. There are also seep sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts and soybean sprouts. Although technically considered legumes, tamarind and jicama are treated as a fruit and vegetable, respectively.
Legumes are easy to prepare and can be either the main entrée or the side dish. Dried legumes are rehydrated before cooking, which is done by soaking them in water for about 6 to 8 hours. An alternative and shorter method is to put them in a pressure cooker or simmer them in a pan where they can soften in less than an hour. Soaking shortens cooking time by 50 minutes to up to an hour. It also has the advantages of reducing flatulence by making them more digestible.
Legumes that are sold as “quick cooking” have been presoaked and re-dried before packaging and thus do not need to be soaked. When several types of legumes are required for a dish, it is best to cook each type separately because it is difficult to cook them uniformly together.
Recipe: Chickpea Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped, optional
¼ teaspoon pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas or garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans rinsed and drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped (I used three cans of diced tomatoes)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
Optional ingredients: Crushed tortilla chips, cubed avocado, lime wedges and additional chopped cilantro.
Directions:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, garlic, jalapeno if desired, and pepper, cook and stir until tender 3-5 minutes. Add broth and quinoa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until quinoa is tender about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas, beans, tomatoes, corn and cilantro, heat through. If desired, serve with optional ingredients.
Recipe: Scallops with Snow Peas
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup water
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided.
1 lb. bay scallops
½ lb. fresh snow peas, halved diagonally
2 medium leeks (white portion only), cut into 3 x ½ inch strips
1 ½ teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
3 cups hot cooked brown rice.
Directions:
1. Mix the cornstarch, soy sauce and water. In a large nonstick skillet, heat two teaspoons oil over medium-high heat, stir fry the scallops until firm and opaque, 1-2 minutes. Remove scallops from pan.
2. In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry snow peas, leeks, and ginger until peas are just crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture, add to pan. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened about 1 minute. Add scallops, heat through. Serve with rice.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
½-teaspoon salt
½-teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
Sour cream and pepitas, optional.
Directions:
1. In a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except sour cream and pepitas. Cook, covered, on low until potatoes are tender, 5-6 hours.
2. Puree soup using an immersion blender or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender; return to slow cooker and heat through. If desired, top servings with sour cream and pepitas.
** Interested in free nutrition education lessons from OSU Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)? Contact Nancy Lyons at 937-244-9654 or lyons.489@osu.edu.
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