Black Eyed Peas

I know this comes a little late, but rumor (or legend or perhaps superstition) has it that eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day will bring you good luck all year. Additionally, it's a great way to use the left over ham from Christmas dinner. It's healthy, cheap, delicious and freezes well.

In a large stock pot, saute

1 large diced onion
1 diced green bell pepper
1 or 2 diced anaheim pepper
1 or 2 cups diced ham
a few cloves of minced garlic (it goes without saying that any form of garlic may be used here)

(You can omit the peppers and ham to save on cost and it will still taste pretty good)

Meanwhile, sort and rinse a lb of black eyed peas.

Once mixture is browned, add one giant can of crushed tomatoes (if whole or diced tomatoes are cheaper, "crush" yourself in blender) rinsed black eyed peas and enough water to fill to roughly 6 inches deep. Bring to boil. Stir in about a tsp of ham base (this can also be omitted due to budget constraints but it definitely improves the flavor). Turn to low and simmer until peas are done (1-2 hours; I really can't remember!)

Curried Lentil Soup

I found this recipe in Good Housekeeping Dec 2008 as an idea for a gift. It's cheap, healthy, super easy, uses your food storage AND you can layer all the ingredients in a jar for holiday distribution should you desire. My family didn't love it but they definitely liked it (2 yr old had seconds). As far as cooking with lentils goes, this is an EXCELLENT recipe.

1 lb lentils (recipe calls for half and half red and green; any lentil works and I successfully used half split peas)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp curry powder
3 Tbsp minced dried onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c dried apples cut into 1/2 in. chunks
1 Tbsp dried parsley

Add all ingredients to 7 c water in a 3 qt pot and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 cups.

Navy Greek Salad General Instructions

Combine-
(about) 2 c cooked navy, canillina, and/or white kidney beans
1-2 avocados
2 beefstock tomatoes (adjust amount if using some other tomato)
1/2 leek or other onion
1 cucumber
1 small handful fresh basil
1 small handful fresh dill
(you want to be able to taste the herbs; dried will work but won't taste as yummy)
1-2 cloves garlic pressed
basalmic vinegar (I'm guessing 1/4 c or so) to taste
a few Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Optional garnishments-
whole grain croutons
feta cheese

Eat with toast or pasta if you don't use croutons so that the beans will equal a complete protien.

Spanish Rice "Recipe"

Here's a great one for saving money on your grocery bills. I try to serve good ol' beans and rice at least twice a month. We'll dice up a few tomatoes and some lettuce, add a little sour cream and it feels like eating out!

Keep in mind that I don't really do recipes so much as general meal instructions. That means that if it seams vague, your supposed to alter it according to your tastes.

1/4 (ish) onion diced
1 (ish) bell or other pepper
a couple cloves of garlic
a couple Tbsp olive oil
Saute in a large sauce pan.

(Health note: You don't want to heat the oil too much or it kills the good fats. You definitely want to include some peppers for the vitamin C which neutralizes phytic acid in beans and whole grains making their minerals more easily absorbed.)

Add 2 c rice to pepper mixture and brown rice.

After rice has browned, add 1 8 oz can tomato sauce and 2 14 oz cans natural chicken broth.

(Note: You can also use plain water, any other broth or water + chicken/beef base &c. in addition to the tomato sauce. Just make sure that the entire liquid/sauce combination = 4 c. I recommend avoiding anything with MSG in it. The only studies that show it to be safe were funded by food companies such as Lipton. All independent studies show it to be VERY questionable.)

Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and cook covered until all liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
This could take anywhere from 20 min to 1 1/2 hr depending on your rice...

Wheat

Wheat

Enjoying Wheat Without a Wheat Grinder–

Use cracked wheat instead of cracker crumbs, bread or rice in meatloaves and meatballs.
Substitute half of your hamburger in any recipe with processed berries.
Use cracked wheat in breads and cookies or on salads for a nutty flavor.
Pop bulgar wheat like popcorn.
Sprout wheat for salad greens.
More suggestions and recipes at- http://waltonfeed.com/self/wheat.html

Approximate Measurements–

1 cup uncooked wheat = 2 cups cooked wheat
2 cups whole wheat = 3 cups ground flour
1 lb whole wheat = 2 1/4 cups wheat berries

Getting the Most Nutrients Out of Your Wheat–

Pairing wheat with vitamin C rich foods will increase iron absorption (think strawberries, kiwis orange juice, peppers, spinach, broccoli &c) as well as neutralize the phytic acid which can inhibit nutrient absorption and cause allergies.

Pairing wheat with a healthy fat (as in not a trans fat) will help your body access the vitamin E in the wheat (think peanut or almond butter, olive oil, &c. Butter, eggs, meat & whole milk work too although you should not consume an excessive amount of saturated fat).

Cooking Whole Wheat Berries-

Wash one cup of wheat and soak in 2 cups cool water for 12 hours. Place rehydrated wheat in a pan and bring to a boil. It may be necessary to add water. Simmer for about one hour until tender. Wheat need not be covered with water since cooking by steam is effective (use a lid). Water should be mostly absorbed after the hour. The plump, cooked wheat will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about two weeks or frozen for longer. So, make lots and save time!

Cooking Whole Wheat Berries Overnight–

Wash wheat thoroughly, place in pot with twice as much water as wheat. Bring wheat to a steady boil for 10-20 minutes. Turn off heat, cover & let stand over night By morning the berries should be full and plump with most of the liquid having been absorbed by the berries. Carefully scoop the drier berries form the top of the pot and place in a plastic bag for storage. Drain remaining liquid from pot and reserve the more moist berries for processing.

Processed Cooked Berries– Run moist berries through a food processor. This will resemble hamburger. Freeze unused processed berries in 1 c portions after a few days.

Bulgar Wheat– Spread a thin layer of cooked berries on a cookie sheet and place in a warm oven (200°F-300°F) stirring from time to time until the kernels are completely dry and hard (about 45-60 min).

Cracked Wheat– Coarsely crack bulgar wheat in a blender or grinder.

Storing Bulgar & Cracked Wheat– Place in a glass jar to be reconstituted or used (respectively).

Reconstituting Bulgar Wheat– Add 2 cups of boiling water to each cup of bulgar. Let stand until moisture is completely absorbed, about 30-60 minutes.

Beans

Beans

Storage- Store unopened bags of dry beans in a cool, dark cupboard for a maximum of one year; after that they will lose some of their natural moisture and need longer cooking times, although the nutrients will remain. Once the package is opened, either store the bag inside a zipped plastic bag or pour out the leftover beans into a canister with a tight seal.

Approximate Measurements-

1 lb. dry beans = 2 - 2 1/2 cups
1 cup dry beans = 2 - 3 cups cooked beans
About 3/4 c dry beans = 1 lb cooked beans
About 3/4 c dry beans cooked = 16 oz can beans

Cooking– Always sort and rinse beans before cooking. There are two ways to reduce the flatulence factor, both of which may be used on either cooking method. A couple carrots cut up into 2-3 in. chunks will absorb the enzyme that causes flatulence (discard carrots after cooking). You may also soak the beans overnight, discard water, rinse and cook in fresh water. Presoaking the beans will reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes. To check beans, take a spoonful out of the pot and blow on them gently. The skins should split easily. If the "skin test" works, taste one or two to see if they are soft.

Stovetop Method– Bring cooking water to a rapid boil and add beans. Bring the water to a second boil, reduce heat to very low and cook covered (very important) until tender.

Crock Pot Method– This is best for older beans. Pour rinsed beans in crock pot with water and cover with lid. The water level should be 2 in. above the beans. Cook on high for one hour and then reduce to low and cook overnight or until tender.

Time Saving Strategies– Cook a large amount of beans at once. Store leftover beans in 1 c. servings and freeze for later use. A six qt crock pot will cook 6 c. of dried beans overnight. Use carrots instead of soaking.

Enjoying Beans– Use beans instead of meat in your favorite salad, pasta & pizza recipes. The navy bean is very versatile and will work with most any recipe.

Black & pinto beans can be used in any Southwest/Mexican recipe instead of meat (ie Enchiladas, Tacos, Southwestern pasta’s, salads, & pizzas). Southwest seasonings include chili powder & cumin.

Soups, chili’s & dips are bean classics as well as adding beans to a green salad.

Getting the Most Nutrients Out of Your Beans– Beans should always be eaten with a grain in order to form a complete protein (think rice, noodles, bread, tortillas, &c). Eat beans with a food high in vitamin C to increase mineral absorption (think salsa, peppers, spinach, broccoli, orange juice, &c)