These recipes make good use of healthy beans.
Madras Chickpeas With Spinach
1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover
1 cup vegetable broth
13.5- to 14.5-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoons mild curry powder or to taste
Two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach
1 large or 2 medium onions (about 1 pound total), cut into wedges
14.5- to 15.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles
Ground red (cayenne) pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Drain chickpeas. In a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker, stir together broth, coconut milk and curry powder. Set over high heat. Add chickpeas, spinach and onions. Pour tomatoes on top; do not stir.
Lock the lid in place. Bring to high pressure, then reduce the heat enough to maintain the pressure and cook for 16 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally.
When pressure is released, remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any steam to escape. If the chickpeas are not quite tender, replace the lid without locking and simmer until chickpeas are done.
Stir well. Add a pinch of cayenne or pepper flakes or to taste, more curry powder if necessary, and salt to taste. The mixture will thicken as it stands, but if you wish to thicken it immediately, mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the cooker with a fork and stir them in. Serves 6.
Stir in cilantro. Serve in large, shallow bowls or lipped plates. Variation: Add 1/3 cup raisins after releasing the pressure.
Per serving: 380 calories, 17 grams fat, 13 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 16 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams sugar, 14 grams fiber, 420 milligrams sodium, 250 milligrams calcium.
— Adapted from “Pressure Perfect,” by Lorna Sass (William Morrow, 2004)
Korean-Style Black Beans
2 cups dried black beans
6 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Wash beans thoroughly. Place beans and water in the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Pour over beans, stirring in thoroughly.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 10 hours (see note) or until the beans are tender. Serve with cooked rice and cooked greens for a full meal.
Tester’s note: After 6 hours in my slow cooker, the beans still had significant crunch. After 8 hours, they had softened but still had some crunch. They had fully softened after cooking for 10 hours. You can shorten the cooking time by soaking the beans in cold water for 1 to 2 hours before placing them in the slow cooker. Serves 6.
Per serving: 260 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 14 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams sugar; 14 grams fiber; 1,370 milligrams sodium; 40 milligrams calcium.
— Adapted from “The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker” by Lynn Alley (Ten Speed Press, 2010)
Pasta and Lentils
2 cups dried lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 canned plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
6 cups water
1 cup small tubular pasta, uncooked
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling, optional
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, optional
Place lentils in a large colander. Rinse well under cold water and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Add onion and saute 4 to 5 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently so that the onion does not brown. Add carrots, celery and tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf and water. Stir to blend.
Position the lid and lock in place. Raise the heat to high and bring to high pressure. Adjust the heat to stabilize the pressure and cook 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Lower the pressure by placing the cooker in the sink and running cold water over the lid. Open the pressure cooker and test the lentils to see if they are tender. If not, lock the lid back in place, return to high pressure and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
While the lentil mixture is cooking, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.
When the lentils are tender, mash the softened garlic cloves by pressing them against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust for salt (up to 3 teaspoons) and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon). Stir in the cooked pasta.
Spoon into four plates or bowls. If desired, drizzle each plate with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and serve with grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Serves 4.
Per serving (using 3 teaspoons salt): 520 calories, 9 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 30 grams protein, 84 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams sugar, 25 grams fiber, 1,840 milligrams sodium, 100 milligrams calcium.
— Adapted from “The Ultimate Pressure Cooker Cookbook” by Tom Lacalamita (Simon & Schuster, 1997)
Barley, Mushroom and Onion Soup
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed thoroughly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Rinse dried mushrooms; place in a small bowl. Cover with about 1 cup water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
Place barley and 8 cups of water in a slow cooker.
Heat oil in a saute pan. Saute onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Lift softened mushrooms from the bowl, leaving any grit behind. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the mushrooms. Pour the soaking water through a strainer lined with a damp paper towel or a coffee filter. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Add the mushrooms and the strained soaking water, sauteed onion, tomato sauce, carrot and celery to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the barley is completely tender.
Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with 1 or 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serves 4.
Per serving: 300 calories, 10 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat; 6 milligrams cholesterol, 9 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams sugar, 10 grams fiber, 180 milligrams sodium, 100 milligrams calcium.
— Adapted from “The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker” by Lynn Alley (Ten Speed Press, 2010)
