- Field Day |
- Buildings Alive |
- Visions |
- CLGBT |
- Green Community |
- Fun & Free S#!T |
- Crossword |
- CL Space |
Friday, May 15, 2009
Craving cheap dinner? Try beans
Posted by Jenna Weber on Fri, May 15, 2009 at 9:52 AM
If you're looking for an affordable weeknight dinner, look no further. Let me introduce one of my very best friends: the dried bean.
You see, dried beans are so often looked over at grocery stores but they provide a plethora of nutritional benefits as well as being tasty and filling! For only about $1.29 per one pound bag, you really can't get any better.
And now you are going to tell me you don't have "time" for dried beans. Umm, yes you do. You really do!
Before I learned how quick and easy dried beans really were, I used the canned approach as well. But the dried bean method is simple: Before you go to bed, place your beans in a pot and cover them with water. First thing you do when the alarm goes off in the morning is drain the beans, fill with fresh water and then simmer for one hour. I know you have one hour in the morning because most people take that long to get ready. Once they are done, just drain and refrigerate until you are ready to cook with them. SO easy... you can do it!
Below is my very favorite bean recipe. If you add up the cost of the ingredients per four-person serving, it adds up to only like $3.00. Talk about cheap! And this dish is super healthy and quick to prepare once you've soaked and cooked the beans. Most people think beans are boring and I tell them to try this recipe... the giant beans are bursting with flavor and anything but boring. Go ahead, try it for yourself and I can say "I told you so."
Giant Lima Beans with Spinach and Garlic
Serves 2-4
- 2 cups dried giant lima beans
- 4 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups spinach or kale or a mix of both
- Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to taste
- Sea salt to taste
Prepare the dried lima beans according the the above procedure. Store in the fridge for up to three days. When ready to cook, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until the garlic begins to smell heavenly and just shows hints of turning golden. Be careful, garlic burns easily!
Add the beans to the olive oil and garlic mixture and cook for about 6-7 minutes. Try not to stir very often since you're trying to get a crusty layer on the beans. Stir once or twice to flip the beans and then just keep a watchful eye to make sure your garlic isn't burning. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
Add the spinach last and cook for about 4 more minutes or until it just begins to wilt. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Comments (6)
Showing 1-6 of 6
Mmmmm, I love giant lima beans. They're so creamy. They also taste amazing with tomato sauce.
like
dislike
I have never tried lima beans... I'm quite frankly a little scared of them. But this recipe sounds so good, and it doesn't really sound that hard, so maybe I'll try it! My husband hates beans, though, so I'll probably have to share it with my mom or someone. Or just keep the leftovers for myself! Thanks for the new idea!
I'm definitely a big supporter of cooking up your own dried beans. It's super economical, way easier than it seems, and the flavor of the bean is just so much better when it hasn't been sitting in a can for.. years. :)
Thanks for the reminder about dried beans vs canned. I used to cook up a big pot of black beans and then freeze them in individual freezer bags for a quick dinner side. Not sure why I stopped! I'm trying this recipe too. Love the lima beans!
Latest in Daily Loaf
-
Best gay marriage post ever
Alexandra Petri's post will make you laugh, cry and nod your head sagely all at the same time.
-
The Raw Story: A Night of Comedy
Join me for an epic recounting of Monday night's Raw Supershow.
-
A Taste of Pinellas 2012 welcomes national headliners Sheryl Crow, Dashboard Confessional + others 1
- More »
Top Commenters
