Learning to Like Beans

Okay, I’ll be honest. This is the post you will least want to read. I’m going to talk about, yes, beans! Let’s face it. These nutritional powerhouses just aren’t a favorite in our American diet. I can’t recall a single bean dish growing up that my mother made, except for baked beans served on the fourth of July. Although many of us begin to salivate for baked beans around this time of year, it just doesn’t do justice to what can really be done with beans. And who wants to eat baked beans on a daily basis? Not me.

Continuing with the theme of honesty, I can’t say that I loved beans at any point in my life. I had always thought of them as a necessary evil. However, I agreed wholeheartedly to try WFPB and Campbell’s guidelines (in “The China Study”) promised me that my taste buds would change. So, I started by burying beans in things that I liked.

This is the next step: buy less meat and eat more beans (legumes). Visit the first step here.

My family mostly ate chicken and luncheon meats. So, for a few weeks, I bought those already cooked chicken strips and nitrate-nitrite free luncheon meats. (We live in Amish/Mennonite land, so we had access to an affordable Mennonite grocer who sold these healthier meats for LESS than the local grocers’ regular prices.) By keeping these meat options around, my family didn’t even notice the change.

Every other day or so, I would put a few beans on my daughters’ plates, in addition to chicken, and require consumption. Early on, complaints ensued. I put on my best smile and said, “You have to eat them. Dip them in whatever you would like.” Out came the ketchup and barbeque sauce. Ranch dressing became a staple at the table. I encouraged the girls to use anything that would help them go down. Cheese was a popular option. Now, some might think, isn’t adding high sodium condiments and a dairy product counter to the whole foods diet? Well, yes it is, but I had to use every weapon I could to make beans look like a good option. And, my hunch was right; soon, the condiment portion of the meal decreased and they ate the beans plain. Chang Ching! I can now put beans on their plates with little or no complaints.

For parents (more specifically, the cook in the house), I highly recommend getting a vegetarian or vegan cookbook. Rip Esselstyn has a great book and website “The Engine 2 Diet” that has invaluable WFPB recipes. Consider trying one out.

I also borrowed various cookbooks from the library to find one that I liked and then purchased it. For your own sake (and your children’s), it’s important to begin eating beans in recipes that highlight their flavor and texture. Now, I throw beans on whatever I am eating and hardly notice them. Another option is to take a beloved recipe and replace the ingredients with beans, instead of meat.

Another tip: I buy hard beans in a bag and cook the whole bag at once. Once they are done, I portion them out into snack-sized Ziplocs in 1-cup portions and freeze them. I keep one bag in the fridge at a time. I can throw beans onto anything I am eating and they are always handy. I even enjoy the crunch that red kidney beans give to a dish. I know this is not enviro-friendly, using all these Ziplocs, but it is mom friendly. I’m also not consuming cans, it reduces sodium, and I promised myself I would come up with a better option in the future. For now, it helps us transition to eating WFPB. My daughter, Nelia, is our family’s recycling watchdog. She hasn’t noticed the plastic bag consumption, but, when she does, I know she’ll help me think of a better way. I’ll keep you posted!

I can’t honestly say that my girls’ faces now light up at the sight of beans, but they have accepted them as part of life now. To me, that is a goal accomplished and WFPB success! Share your stories of transitioning to WFPB and beans dishes you try. What was your family’s reaction?