I really mean it. Don't underestimate beans.
They are among the oldest foods known to humanity. Dried beans are rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Some parts of the world where protein is scarce or expensive, beans are the lifesaver.
In Norway, the most known and common beans are kidney beans, chic peas, and of course, Navy beans in canned "baked beans."
They (kidney beans or chic peas) are usually sold pre-cooked or dried. Pre-cooked ones (ready to eat) contains gooey starch, so rinse and drain before eating or using for cooking.
So let's get to know them better.
Pros and cons.
Pros:
* High in protein, fiber, and Saponin which lowers cholesterol.
* Inexpensive (2 cups of fried beans will give about 6 cups when cooked.)
* Easy to store.
Tips:
* Replace macaroni with beans. It decreases carbohydrate and increase protein instead.
* Use cooked beans in soup, salad, or stew. Beans don't have distinct strong flavor, so it matches with almost everything!
* Instead of making pasta salad, you can make bean salad!
Cons:
Simply pu it: it makes you fart.
It is caused by oligosaccharides (= complex sugars which are indigestible by normal stomach enzymes. ) Thus, they proceed into the lower intestine where they will be "eaten" (= fermented) by friendly bacteria, causing to produce gas -> makes you fart.
Freezing and defrosting:
Cooked beans can be frozen after cooling.
Please refer to an article: How to cook and freeze beans