Vegetarian bean is a collective term for bean dishes that do not include any meat, poultry or fish during their preparation. Beans are eseentially vegetarian. In non-vegetarian preparations they are cooked with non-vegetarian ingredients like meat and fish. Such types of beans are not considered vegetarian bean dishes. Vegetarian bean dishes are considered healthy and they commonly salads, st comprise stews and stir-fried dishes.
Benefits of Vegetarian Bean Dishes
Controlled saturated fat- The vegetarian bean dishes are usually low on saturated fat content and are beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health.
Rich in antioxidants- Vegetarian beans when cooked with spices and vegetables, provide the body with antioxidants that protect the body by fighting off the free radicals in the body.
Potential source of protein- Vegetarian beans provide the body with ample protein.
Controlled Cholesterol- Since the vegetarian beans contain less saturated fat, the cholesterol levels in the body remain under control.
Lowers high blood pressure- Fruits, vegetables and beans cooked together help in lowering high blood pressure.
Prevents E Coli- As during the preparation of vegetarian beans no meat is used, the chances of getting E Coli are very less.
General Methods of Cooking Vegetarian Bean Dishes
The beans are generally soaked in water at room temperature, prior to cooking. Soaking rehydrates the beans and makes the process of cooking easy and less time consuming. However, the soaking method varies for different beans. Some of the common soaking methods are slow-soak, hot-soak, quick-soak and gas-free soak. In the slow-soak method the beans are soaked in water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The hot soak method calls for boiling the beans and then keeping them in water for 2-3 hours. A quick-soak method is similar to hot-soak, the only difference lies in the boiling and soaking durations. Gas-free soak is a healthy way of soaking vegetarian beans. In this method, first the beans are boiled for 2-3 minutes and then soaked overnight. Doing this, eliminates the indigestible sugars causing flatulence and wind present in the beans. Such sugars get dissolved in water and are washed out with the water.
Popular Vegetarian Bean Recipes
Black Bean Soup- It is an easy-to-make vegetarian dish that is made from black beans and spinach. The soup is popular in South India and is known as kootu. Delicious and nutritious, black bean soup provides the body with good amount of iron and proteins.
Mustard greens ‘n’ beans- It is a delicious vegetarian bean recipe comprising white beans cooked with zesty mustard greens, seasoned with red pepper and vinegar.
Classic Vegetarian bean dip- This recipe is easy to follow and the dip can be prepared in no time. Canned beans are blended with the spices, and seasoned with chilies and Tabasco sauce, and served as a food accompaniment to breads and finger foods.
Apricot salsa bean dip- It is a sweet tasting bean dip prepared using baked vegetarian beans and dried apricots. The dish is enhanced with Mexican flavors by including jalapeno peppers, lime juice and cilantro in the recipe.
Boston beans- Boston beans are also known as American white beans baked with molasses. The dish is prepared by slow cooking the beans in maple syrup or molasses. Cinnamon and nutmeg are sometimes used to add to the flavor of the dish. Boston beans are mostly served with Boston brown bread.
Texas Caviar- It is a popular Texas dish, made by using black beans and black eyed peas. The beans are marinated in spicy mixture of chopped onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic and Italian Dressing. This vegetarian bean dish is usually served with crusty bread or tortilla chips along with iced tea.