Food As Medicine: Cook Dry Beans From Scratch. Improve Digestibility & Save $

I haven't bought canned beans in years.

Legumes have been considered "the poor man's meat" for centuries. Rich in minerals and B Vitamins and all sorts of Omegas- they also contain anti-cancer agents. But canned beans are not optimal for nutrition, and even the lining of the cans can be toxic, not to mention- they are expensive and create waste! This method of cooking beans has changed my life!

As with grains and seeds, soaking beans before cooking is the best way to unlock their best qualities and it saves so much money. From Nourishing Traditions :

Such care in preparation ensures that legumes will be thoroughly digestible and all the nutrients they provide well assimilated because such careful preparation neutralizes phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and breaks down difficult-to-digest complex sugars.

Most canned beans are not prepared this way but you can easily do it at home!

I buy organic dry beans in bulk which saves so much money. I cook a large stock pot full of beans and then freeze small batches for quick and easy access later. This is how I do it:

For about 16 cups of dry beans pour in about 1 cup of whey (whey helps initiate a "fermentation" which breaks down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors)
Cover generously with warm filtered water and soak for 12 to 24 hours (depending on size and variety of bean)

Next day strain the water off the beans and rinse.
Place in large stock pot and add water to cover plus a few tablespoons of sea salt
Bring to a boil and skim off the foam (this foam may contain undesirables)

After you've skimmed off the foam add some type of dried seaweed, this is optional but it greatly reduces the "gas factor" of the beans.
I use either Dulse or Kelp, whatever I have on hand.
This is also the right time to add in any seasonings you want to such as onions, garlic, or cumin.
Simmer on low, covered, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 8 hours. Enjoy!

what is whey and where do I get it?

Make your own whey quite easily using one of the following methods:

1. Let fresh raw milk sit at room temperature in a clean jar on the kitchen counter for one to two days
   then you'll see the bright yellow whey separate from the white milk solids. Pour off the whey, save in a jar for later use. It keeps for several months in the refrigerator. (Use the milk solids to make a soft cheese by blending in some salt and pepper, etc. and spreading on crackers)

2. Pour any kind yogurt in several layers of cheescloth
   and hang above a glass jar, letting the whey instantly drip out. After several hours you will have whey in your jar ready to use, and a type of "cream cheese" in the cheesecloth that can be used for other recipes.

3. Let kefir (a fermented dairy product) sit at room temperature for a day or two, and then strain off the whey. (Treat as with yogurt)

I always keep a jar of whey in the fridge to use for all sorts of recipes!

Here is a fun variation for cooking your beans!

Do you make homemade broths such as chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth or bone broth?
After you soak and strain and rinse your dry beans, use broth instead of water to cook your beans- this makes such a great tasty pot of beans!

Don't forget the time saver

You can use Ziploc bags or plastic yogurt containers to freeze small batches of your delicious properly prepared beans to take out in a pinch for a quick easy meal such as chili, tacos, or bean salads...
(I usually let the beans cool completely before putting them in plastic containers, because heat can draw out dioxins, a toxin found in all plastics)

Seaweed can be found at health food stores or on Amazon (It's around $5 a bag an can be used for all sorts of recipes)

I hope this post can help you in your kitchen as much as it has helped me!!