Go soak Your...Beans

Okay, so I said my next post would be a bean soaking and cooking reference so here you go:

Soak beans by generously covering them with cool water and refrigerate while soaking.

Soak:

Adzuki beans for 4 hours and cook for 1 hour; 1 cup of adzuki beans yields 2 1/2 cups when cooked.
Black beans for 4 hours and cook for 1 1/2 hours; 1 cup of black beans yields 3 cups when cooked.
Chickpeas for 4 hours and cook for up to 2 1/2 hours; 1 cup yields 3 cups when cooked.
Fava beans for 12 hours and cook for 3 hours; 1 cup yields 3 cups when cooked.
Great Northern Beans for 4 hours and cook for 1 hour; 1 cup yields 2 3/4 cups when cooked.
Kidney Beans for 4 hours and cook for 1 hour; 1 cup yields 2 3/4 cups when cooked.
Lima Beans for 4 hours and cook for up to 1 1/2 hours; 1 cup yields 3 cups when cooked.
Mung Beans for 4 hours and cook for 1 hour; 1 cup yields 3 cups when cooked.
Navy Beans for 4 hours and cook for 2 hours; 1 cup yields 2 3/4 cups when cooked.
Pinto Beans for 4 hours and cook for up to 1 1/2 hours; 1 cup yields 3 1/4 when cooked.
Soybeans for 12 hours and cook for up to 3 1/2 hours; 1 cup yields 2 3/4 when cooked.
Lentils do not need to be soaked but soaking helps to reduce flatulence so soak for an hour or two if you are so inclined. Cook Lentils for 1 hour; 1 cup yields 3 cups when cooked.

To cook any type of bean add a sufficient amount of water, vegetable stock or beef or chicken stock and simmer once the beans are boiling. Keep covered for the duration of the cooking time.

We have purchased many beans raw and soaked and cooked them, including adzuki, black beans, lentils, mung, kidney and pinto beans. The process is easy and the beans taste great. It is a very economical way to go and you can control the quantity very easy by following this guide so that you have the quantity you want once they are cooked. The best part is you are consuming whole, unprocessed beans without any additional additives other than the sea salt or flavorings you choose to add. Once soaked, all of these beans can be cooked and added to dishes or cooked as part of the dish.

Plan ahead. Think about your dinner menu and soak your beans a day or two before you actually need to cook them. Since the soaking time for most is only a handful of hours it is easy to do in the morning or evening. It's easy, wholesome and fun. So, go ahead - soak your beans. You'll be glad you did!!