How to Sprout & Cook Beans

Eating healthy is expensive.

Cooking food from scratch is so time-consuming.

I don't know how to cook my own beans; it's really hard!

I don't like beans. Beans are really boring. 

I've heard all the excuses before.  And believe me, I used to be there.  Eating beans? That sounded like a punishment.  But, once you learn how to cook beans and realize that it's really easy to make them taste absolutely delicious, I promise you'll start making them from scratch.

First, let's start with why I love beans. Beans are a fabulous source of vegetarian protein and fiber. And as a bonus, beans are incredibly affordable. If you buy beans in the bulk section, organic beans usually cost $1.29 - $1.99 per pound, depending on the type of bean. A pound of beans could easily feed a family for several meals so making beans a staple in your household will lower grocery bills compared to using other sources of protein.

Many people complain about having digestive problems or gas after eating beans and so I wanted to share some of the best ways I have found to make beans more digestible:  

1. Chew beans thoroughly. Slowing down and chewing properly is always important (no matter what you are eating), but this is especially helpful if beans tend to give you extra trouble. 
2. Take digestive enzymes with your meal. Beano, anyone? :)
3. Add fennel or a little apple cider vinegar to the beans during the last twenty minutes of cooking to aid in digestion.
4. Experiment with different combinations of food. (Legumes tend to combine best with green or non-starchy vegetables.)
5. Experiment with different beans. Smaller beans tend to be easier to digest (e.g. adzuki, lentils, mung beans, and peas). Pinto, kidney, navy, black-eyed peas, garbanzo, and black beans tend to be a little harder to digest. And soybeans tend to give folks the most digestive problems. 
6. Add kombu during cooking to aid in digestion.
7. Sprout your beans before cooking. 

My favorite way to prepare beans is to soak them, sprout them, and then cook them with kombu.  I noticed a huge difference in my digestion after I started sprouting beans and for anyone who has trouble with eating legumes, I highly recommend the sprouting method. Sprouting also neutralizes the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, making it easier on your digestive system as well as allowing you to absorb more of the nutrients. And, who doesn't want a nutritional boost?

I know it might sound intimidating to sprout your own beans, but I promise it's not hard or time-consuming and in this post I'll show you step-by-step of how to get started!

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Fajita Baked Yams

I've stopped myself about ten times now from sharing this recipe with you. Why? It's a silly reason and I'm sure you'll laugh. It's because I worry that it's too simple.

I'm all about easy and quick recipes, but this one just seems overly simple. I finally decided to get over myself and just share it with you already because it's a great example of a meal that I eat. And, quite often I might add.

There are recipes that are great for company.  There are recipes that are great for showing off fancy culinary techniques. Then there are recipes that just taste good, are easy to make, and make a fabulous meal.  This is the latter. And I'm going to keep telling myself that just because a recipe is simple doesn't mean it's any less tasty.

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