Hearty Bean Soup
“Beans, beans the musical fruit…” That’s not exactly how we sang the song when I was a kid, in fact, I believe the song had a phrase about “down yer leg and in yer boot”, but I grew up in Atlantic Canada and we had lots of songs with boots in them. In any case, the song isn’t far off base, as beans do have a tendency to cause flatulence, particularly in people who don’t get a lot of fibre in their diets anyway. I have known people whose main excuse for not becoming vegetarian is that they don’t want to deal with the constant farting that occurs in the initial stages of the diet changeover. I’ll also tell you honestly that, for me at least, and my husband, the flatulence never really completely went away, even after being vegetarian for going on six years now. Beans still mean an after dinner symphony in our house, but they are so tasty and so incredibly healthy that we put up with this small side effect because we know beans are a powerhouse of nutrition; helping to lower cholesterol, combat heart disease, stabilize blood pressure, reduce obesity, reduce cancer risk and relieve hypertension.
Beans are a cheap, easily accessible source of fibre and protein in almost every culture. Currently they are being used in studies on HIV+ children in Botswana and Tanzania where it is theorized they will help improve nutritional and immune status and will improve lean tissue mass, allowing those children the potential for normal growth despite their HIV-related health concerns.
The Beans For Health website offers information on everything you need to know about the health benefits of all types of beans. They have links to studies, articles and even bean-related events around the world.
If Beans For Health can’t convince you that beans really are a true superfood that every person needs more of in their diet, maybe my favourite bean soup recipe can. This is a quick, easy-to-make soup that is perfect for dinner on a chilly night. It freezes well, and with some whole-wheat bread and a piece of fruit, makes a perfect lunch.
Hearty Bean Soup
Yield: 8 servings
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, washed and sliced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
2 12oz cans mixed beans, rinsed and drained well, or about 1 cup dried beans, precooked
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
3-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup small pasta such as seashells or macaroni (preferably whole wheat)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained, julienned
In a large pot, sauté onion, garlic and leeks in olive oil until soft. Add the carrots and celery. Add tomato paste and stir well, allowing the paste-coated vegetables to brown slightly, but not burn.
Add the diced tomatoes, beans, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, and bay leaf, along with the stock. Bring to a boil and cover the pan. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
When the carrot is soft, add the pasta, along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the pasta is nearly tender. Adjust seasonings if necessary, removing bay leaf.
Garnish with grated parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with crusty whole-wheat or multi-grain bread.
Note: if the soup is left to sit for a few hours the pasta may absorb a lot of the liquid; if you find the soup to be too thick, add about a cup of water to thin it out.
Great post - and the soup looks delicious, too. I have to put my 2 cents worth in here.
The old cook at the nursing home taught me to “de-gas” my beans so as to make them easier to digest for the old folks. That’s how I still make my bean soup.
De-gassing is simple. You can either soak the beans overnight with baking soda in them (I just learned this - never tried it), or bring them to a boil three or four times with baking soda added. Drain and rinse after every boil. Make sure the last rinse is a good one, taking all of the skins with it. Then cook normally. I’m not sure what this does to the nutritional value of the beans (probably ruins it), but you will definitely not fart after eating beans prepared this way.