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Several members of the community involved in the slow food movement, local foods, nutrition and cooking will be posting on this blog on a regular basis. We look forward to your comments and replies.

From the GM’s Corner

Posted: February 4th, 2009 | Author: gerry | Filed under: Gerry's Blog |

This is my official introduction to the bloging world. I am hopeful our updated website will help members, and the larger community stay abreast of what’s going on at the “Coop”, as well as around town. Let us know what you think, either through the website, or when you are in the store.

Recently, I have had the pleasure to meet a newly arrived Swarthmorean. Her name is Helen Nadel and she is a joy. She comes to Swarthmore via Berkley, where last year she advocated for a farm bill that would shift funding from commodity crops and towards - in her words food!

Helen is passionate about food. Her interests range from how food is produced, its impact on the environment, the workers who work the fields, procuring and cooking delicious food for family and friends. Oh, and one other thing Helen has an abiding interest in healthy delicious foods. I asked Helen if she would give us some ideas on healthy, delicious and nutritious foods. And here is the result:

Why Beans?

Beans are the unsung heroes of food.

First of all they are delicious! They absorb other flavors well, making them endlessly variable. Countries around the world eat beans, so you can experiment with the herbs, spices, and preparations of many cuisines. Beans can be used whole as part of salads, soups, or stews, or pureed and used in a dip, soup, sandwich, or wrap.

Second, beans are a health powerhouse. Beans are high in fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and also provides the slow-burning energy that comes from eating complex carbohydrates. Beans have been linked to lower cholesterol levels, thanks to all that fiber. They are a great source of protein - 15 grams of protein per cup- but unlike many other sources of protein, they are low in calories and fat.

And, all those minerals! Beans are full of minerals like folate, manganese, and magnesium. They are high in iron, important for transporting oxygen, producing energy and regulating metabolism.

Black beans are a particularly great bean because, in additiion to all of their other health-promoting qualities, they are high in antioxidants (linked to cancer prevention). Their antioxidant power matches grapes and cranberries - considered antioxidant superstars of the plant world.

Finally, cook beans and you will feel very thrifty. They are cheap! A pound of black beans at the Co-op cost only $1.69; while canned beans range from $1.09 to $1.99 for a 15 oz can.

Yes, its true beans can cause gas in some people - though ways to minimize this abound. Here are three:

1. Soak beans before cooking and drain the soaking water prior to cooking. If using canned beans, drain the liquid and rinse well.
2. Cooking beans with a seaweed called kombu helps deal with beans’ propensity to cause gas. Like other seaweeds, kombu is filled with nutrients, like iodine, vitamin K, and is also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, and lignans. The Co-op carries kombu.
3. Some spices increase beans’ digestibility. Try cumin, fennel, and ginger.

Below is one of my favorite recipes for black beans, a chili with vegetables, sweet spices and chocolate ( an ingredient in the classic Mole sauces of Mexico). I combine black beans with red kidney or pinto beans, for a variation of flavor and color.  I like cooking one of the beans from scratch, but by all means do both from scratch if you prefer.

Cooking beans from scratch is very easy, requiring only a bit of anticipation (”I am going to cook beans sometime this week. I’ll start soaking them now.”) My recipe for cooking dried beans follows the chili recipe.

2-Bean Chili

The ingredients

1/2 pound black beans (about 4 cups), cooked and cooled with 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid
2 cans red kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 onions, chopped
3 T olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1 t salt
2 t cumin
1 t cinnamon
1 T chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 t dried oregano or 1 t fresh oregano, chopped
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, plus liquid
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2 – 1 inch cubes
1/2 bunch chard, spinach, or kale, washed, dried, and chopped roughly
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (optional)
kernels from one ear of corn (optional)
fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Accompaniments:
white or brown rice, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, salsa, or diced tomatoes

The recipe

1) Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot at low heat.

2) Add onion and cook for 10 minutes until translucent but not browned. Stir occasionally.

3) Add green pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Add garlic (and jalapeno if using) and cook for about 30 seconds, then add salt, cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, bay leaf, and oregano. Cook for one minute, stirring.

5) Add beans, tomatoes and their juice, and 1/2 cup of reserved bean cooking liquid. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a simmer. Add chocolate and stir until melted.

6) Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, then cook for a half hour, stirring occasionally.

7) While chili simmers, you can prepare the vegetables.

After about one-half hour of simmer time, add the sweet potatoes. Check the amount of liquid to determine if you want a thinner chili; if so, add more of the reserved cooking liquid. Simmer another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the chard and other vegetables, if using. Simmer for another 15 minutes, or until cooked all vegetables are cooked through.

9) Turn off the heat and add the chopped cilantro. Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed.

10) Serve warm, with rice and other accompaniments.

Notes:

1) All of the vegetables are optional, except the onion, garlic, and tomatoes. I included my favorites here, but you can use whatever vegetables you like. 2) If I have time, I toast whole cumin seeds lightly in a dry pan under low heat for a minute or two, then grind them in an extra coffee grinder I use for spices or in a mortar and pestle. You can also leave them whole. 3) The accompaniments listed here are delicious additions. A small amount is all you need, and though some are high in fat, the chili is so low in fat that I think it balances out. Of course, the chili is also delectable on its own. 4) You can make this recipe ahead of time and reheat. 5) You can double this recipe. It freezes well.

Beans from Scratch

The ingredients

1 lb beans, picked over (discard any that are split, discolored or shriveled)
1 onion
2 carrots
1 celery stalk
bay leaf (optional)
kombu seaweed (optional)

The recipe

1) Put beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly.

2) Place in a large pot with water to cover by 2 inches.

3) Soak 8 hours or overnight

4) Discard water; rinse beans again.

5) Place beans back in pot with water to cover by 2 inches.

6) Prepare vegetables: peel and quarter onion, wash and cut carrot into 2-inch lengths, and wash and cut celery into 2-inch lengths. Place in pot with beans, with bay leaf and kombu if using.

7) Turn heat to high until beans are just beginning to boil. Turn heat down to moderate. Skim any foam that may have formed on the top and discard. Adjust the heat, cover the pot, and cook at a simmer until done. For black beans, this will be about 1-2 hours, depending on the freshness of the beans.

Drain beans. Reserve some cooking liquid for making soup, refried beans, or chili if you like.

Notes

1) You can soak the beans longer if your plans change and you don’t cook them when you had planned. After 24 hours of soaking, drain, rinse, and add fresh water. Put the soaking pot in the refrigerator. Cook the beans 48 hours after starting to soak. 2) I like to cook beans at least one pound at a time, because they freeze so easily. Just take cooked, cooled beans and place in a freezer-safe container in 1, 2, or 4-cup portions to use in soups, salads, or other dishes

My thanks to Helen for sharing with us all of this great information and recipe!

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