Beans

Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more I eat, the more I like them...

Beans are a delicious, cheap, easy meal. They can be as simple or dressed as you like.

This story begins with the fact that I've had a giant bag of pinto beans in my pantry for the last few months. One day when I was doing my hot sauce shopping at La Morenita Market down the street, I came across the bulk section with tons of different kinds of beans for SUPER cheap. No, seriously, the pinto beans were $.69/LB. I had the best intentions when I bought them, but the intention stayed just that. Two months later, I figure its "bean" long enough. Okay, I'll stop...

I read about soaking beans over night (which would be rad if I was eating raw), but I need a little more instant results than that. Beans can be cooked like rice and grains, it just takes longer.

To start you need a large pot with a lid. The pot I use has a 12" diameter and is about 4" deep.

-Strain 2 cups of beans to get any soil or rocks that are left behind from the cleaning process.
-Add the beans with about 2 1/2 quarts of water to your pot. This amount will vary depending on the size pot you're using. You want between 2 and 2 1/2 inches of water on top of the beans.

Now it's creative time. Look at the water in the pot like you're making veggie broth. Add spices that you think will go well together, keeping in mind that the beans are going to soak up that juice. I use cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and whole garlic cloves. I recommend to add as much spice as you think is right, then add a little more. This makes the beans really jump with flavor.

The waiting game...
-Bring beans to a boil.
-Turn down to a simmer, cover, and let cook between 2 and 3 hours.
-After an hour, give them a taste. The beans will still be al dente, but you can get a feel for what the broth will taste like. Add any more spice it needs.
-When the skin of the bean begins to crack and peel, they are ready to eat.
-Lucky you!

There are some really good bean cookbooks. Although not always vegan, the recipes can usually be adapted easily. This is my personal favorite - Heirloom Beans.