Cannellini Beans With Roasted Butternut SquashInstant Pot And Stove Top Recipes

Roasted butternut squash adds a natural sweetness to this dish.

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Beans for Fiber, Protein and More
For those of you who have vowed to eat less meat this year, you will be happy to know that you can get lots of high quality protein from beans. Unlike with meat, this protein comes with critical dietary fiber, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates that will stabilize your blood sugar and help lower your cholesterol. The best part about this protein source is that it doesn't come with saturated fat and cholesterol. So add some to your diet each day.

Winter Squash
I had a wonderful winter squash harvest this year so I'm looking for recipes to use them up. Last week, my friend Margarite brought over some cannellini beans with roasted butternut squash. The roasted squash gave the beans a beautiful sweet flavor. Here's my attempt to duplicate this lovely recipe. You can make the beans in an Instant Pot or just cook them on the stove, but always start with dry beans. I don't think canned beans would taste as good.

Some of my winter squash harvest.

           
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Cannellini Beans with Roasted Butternut Squash
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
[makes 6 servings]

Beans can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop.

Allow time to soak beans overnight.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry cannellini beans 
Water for soaking
4 cups rich vegetable stock
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 pound butternut squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or splash of vinegar (optional)

Directions
Pick through the cannellini beans for rocks and rinse well. Place in a pot, cover with 2 inches of water, and soak overnight.  If you forgot to soak the beans overnight you can place them in a pot with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil on medium heat, turn off the heat, and let the beans sit in the pot, covered, until the water cools down. One and a half cups of dry beans should plump up to about 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups of soaked beans.

Rinse the soaked beans well. If you are cooking them on the stovetop, place the beans in a large pot or 5-quart Dutch oven with the stock, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook until tender. You may need to add more broth if it cooks down.

If you are using an Instant pot pressure cooker, place the soaked and rinsed beans in the pot along with the stock, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Hit the manual button and set for 6 minutes under high pressure. Make sure the quick release switch is in the closed position. 

When it's done, hit the off button and let the pressure come down naturally. When complete, open the cover and tilt so that the steam comes out the back and away from your face. Test for doneness. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the beans are cooking, clean the squash. Check out my post on An Easy Way to Cut a Butternut Squash. Dice the squash and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried rosemary. Toss until well coated and spread out on a non-stick shallow baking pan or one lined with a Silpat silicon mat. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until cooked and slightly golden brown.

You may notice that I have heavily seasoned the squash. Once cooked, the squash will be used to season the beans so don't skimp on the salt and other seasonings.

Before baking

After roasting

Remove the roasted squash from the oven and set aside.

After the beans are cooked (using either method), stir the cooked squash into the beans. Simmer the squash and beans together so that their flavors melt together. If on the cooktop, simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes. If in the instant pot, you can either hit saute for 10 minutes or slow cook for 30 minutes. 

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in lemon juice or vinegar, if desired. 

Serve immediately over rice, quinoa, or your favorite grain or pasta, or refrigerate. They will thicken and become even more flavorful the next day. This is a good dish to make on Sunday and serve a few times during the week.

Cannellini beans with roasted butternut squash
served over GABA sprouted brown rice.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving: 261 calories, 7 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 151 mg omega-3 and 769 mg omega-6 essential fatty acids, 10 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, 9 g dietary fiber, and 399 mg sodium.

Banza Pasta - Great Source Of Vegan ProteinBaked Banza Pasta With Kite Hill Vegan Ricotta

Baked Banza Rotini with Kite Hill almond ricotta
provides more than 20 grams of protein!

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Where do you get your Protein?
Whether you are a vegan who is darn sick of getting asked "where do you get your protein", or one of the many people who are looking for ways to get more protein in their diets from sources other than meat and dairy, I found a product you might be interested in.

Banza pasta is made from chickpeas. So it's gluten free and contains a boatload of protein and fiber. A two-ounce serving of Banza pasta has 14 grams of protein, 8 grams of dietary fiber, 3.5 grams of total fat, and only 24 net carbs. That's more protein that 2 large hard boiled eggs. Ounce for ounce, it provides as much protein as a steak! All this while having nearly half the net carbs of regular pasta.

It comes in various shapes. Shells are great in soup, elbows for vegan mac and cheese (see the mac and "cheese" recipe in my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen), and penne and rotini for various other delightful recipes. 

Shells, rotini, penne, and elbows

Banza shells in soup.

I'm not sure how long this offer is good for, but if you send a friend a $10 coupon, you'll get a $10 coupon of your own for each referral. That's two free boxes each. Forward THIS LINK or share it online.

One Warning
When you cook the Banza pasta, it makes a lot of foam. Remember, you are cooking beans and, like beans, they foam up. So make sure you cook them in a large pot of water and skim the foam off after it forms or it can easily boil over.

Banza pasta foams during cooking. Just skim it off.

Here's an easy recipe for baked Banza pasta with Kite Hill's new Almond Ricotta. Together the dish provides 23 grams of protein!

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Baked Banza Pasta with Kite Hill Ricotta
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil for greasing the pan
Bunch of kale, ribs removed and thinly sliced*
1 (8-ounce) box of Banza rotini or penne
1 (8-ounce) tub of Kite Hill almond ricotta
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
Go Veggie Parmesan topping (optional)

* You can also use spinach.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees C. Lightly grease a 7"x11" casserole dish with extra virgin olive oil.

Steam the kale until cooked, drain and set aside.

Cook the Banza pasta according to the directions on the package. Make sure you cook it in a large pot and skim the foam as it forms. When cooked, drain and return the hot pasta to the pot. 

Stir in the cooked kale. Then, break up the ricotta into teaspoon-size pieces and add to the pasta. Finally, stir in the tomato sauce.

Vegan Ricotta made from almond milk

Place in a casserole dish, top with Go Veggie parmesan topping or some nutritional yeast and bake until heated, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve!

Nutrition
Per serving: 399 calories, 16 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 23 g protein, 50 g carbohydrates, 39 g net carbohydrates, 11 g dietary fiber, and 268 mg sodium (if using tomato sauce with no added salt.)

Update on Packaging
I just received an email from Team Banza that they are changing the product packaging. The product remains the same. Here's what the boxes now look like:

You can order directly from their WEBSITE.

Vegan 5 Bean Chili - A Heathy And Inexpensive Meal For A Super Bowl Crowd

Feed a crowd with this delicious pot of chili.

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Feeding a Crowd
Whether you are having a party on Sunday to watch the Panthers play the Broncos, or just getting together with friends to watch the commercials or Lady Gaga sing the national anthem and watch Coldplay perform the halftime show, you may be preparing to feed a crowd. Here's a dish that doesn't hurt your wallet or your waistline. And, it's incredibly simple and quick to make.

After preparing a big pot of this 5-bean chili, you can stretch it even further by serving it on a bed of rice or quinoa. Being Italian, my favorite way is to stir it into a big bowl of fusilli pasta topped with Go Veg parmesan topping. Or make a bunch of baked potatoes and serve it over a split potato topped with vegan sour cream and grated cheddar or jack style cheese. But first, let's make the chili!

Canned Beans
I usually make my beans from scratch to avoid the BPA (bisphenol-A) linings in most canned beans. But today you can find lots of organic beans with non-BPA linings in your health food store or in Whole Foods Market. Besides, it's a lot easier to use cans when you are using 5 different types of beans.

Feel free to select different beans but always try to find ones with a BPA-free lining. BPA is an industrial chemical that is an endocrine disruptor and is linked to an increased risk of infertility, obesity, breast and other cancers. 

Corn Tortillas
I use corn tortillas to thicken the chili. It's easier than adding masa harina (corn flour.) If you buy organic corn tortillas, it will guarantee that they are GMO free!

Organic always means Non-GMO!

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5-Bean Chili
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
[makes 8 servings]

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or non-GMO canola oil 
1 large onion, diced (~2 cups)
1 (15 ounce) can organic black beans
1 (15 ounce) can organic garbanzo beans
1 (15 ounce) can organic pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can organic red kidney beans
1 (15 ounce) can organic Great Northern beans
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons ground chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (28 ounce) can organic crushed tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes (optional for added "heat")
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (mild)
2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
cayenne pepper or fresh jalapeño to taste
salt to taste
3 non-GMO corn tortillas, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large pot. Add the onion and sauté on medium-low heat until soft, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. 

While the onion is cooking, drain and rinse all of the beans. Set aside.

After the onions have softened, stir in the cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, and garlic powder and stir until the onions are well coated. 

Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes (if using) diced green chilies, and the broth. If you use Rotel tomatoes, use 2 1/2 cups of broth. If not, use 3 cups of broth.

Taste for spice. The can of Rotel tomatoes will give it some kick already. But for more heat, add cayenne pepper to taste (start with 1/4 teaspoon and go from there). Or, add a finely diced jalapeño. You can also get a can of diced jalapeños and add it a teaspoon at a time until you get the right spice level. Not everyone will want it super spicy, so it's best to make it on the mild side and serve the chili with hot sauce or spicy salsa.

Salt to taste. I wait until now because when a dish is spicy, you may not need to add much salt. Also, depending on the beans and the broth you use, the chili may already have quite a bit of salt.

To thicken the chili, stir in the thinly sliced corn tortillas and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tortillas are practically dissolved and the chili is the proper consistency.

Stir in the fresh cilantro and it's ready to serve!

Serve as is with a few slices of fresh jalapeño.

Or with crunched up corn chips, jalapeños, and sour cream.

It's delicious stirred into pasta topped with vegan pam.

Enjoy!

Cranberry (Borlotti) Beans, Kale, And MushroomsMade In An Instant Pot Electric Pressure CookerEasy Vegan And Gluten-Free Meal

Cranberry beans are a great source of protein and fiber.

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Beans and Greens
"Beans and greens" is one of my absolute favorite and versatile meals. We always have tons of kale in the garden and a pantry-full of various dried beans. Spinach, chard, escarole, collards, mustard and turnip greens are also excellent "greens" to make with this dish (cooking times will vary depending on the selection of beans and greens). I usually make a big pot for dinner and serve left-overs for lunch. Beans and greens can be eaten over a cooked grain, pasta or as is. And now with my Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker, it's easier than ever to make this healthy and delicious dish.

The Mind Diet, a diet used in a study to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, recommends eating six or more servings of greens and three servings of beans per week. 

Cranberry (Borlotti) Beans
This year I became addicted to Rancho Gordo beans. My son sent me a huge assortment of them for Christmas and I've been working my way through them in various recipes. The Cranberry Bean has become one of my favorites. Their creamy texture and short cooking time make them perfect for many dishes such as "beans and greens" or my other personal favorite, "pasta e fagioli", or as they say back in Brooklyn, "pasta fazool."

Cranberry beans are an excellent source of vegetarian protein, providing 16.5 grams of "complete" protein per cup, meaning they contain every essential amino acid. They also provide a whopping 17.7 grams of dietary fiber. One cup also provides 92% of the daily requirement of folate, an especially critical nutrient during pregnancy.

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Cranberry Beans, Kale, and Mushrooms
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
[makes 6 servings]
Requires an Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry cranberry beans
4 inch piece kombu (optional)
4 slices of onion
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups destemmed, thinly sliced kale
4 ounces fresh maitake or shiitake mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Sort through the beans, removing rocks and debris. Rinse well.

Place in the Instant Pot and cover with 2 or more inches of cold water. Let sit over night.

You have two choices after this:
* Rancho Gordo suggests cooking the beans in their soaking water. This provides for a slightly richer broth. Or:
* You can rinse the beans before cooking them. Soaking and rinsing the beans helps eliminate the indigestible sugars that cause gas and reduces the phytates that bind with important minerals making them unavailable. You still get a rich, delicious broth.

Whether you cook the beans in their soaking water or rinse them after soaking, make sure there is at least an inch or two of water covering the beans. I like to make my beans saucy.

Add the sliced onions over the beans and snip the piece of kombu into thin slices and add to the pot. You may also leave the kombu whole and remove it before eating. Some people reuse it.

Kombu is a sea vegetable.
It improves digestibility of beans and reduces issue with gas.
Kombu is a source of iodine, missing in many diets.
Look for it at your health food store or Whole Foods.

Beans, water, kombu and onions in the Instant Pot.
Ready to start cooking!

Make sure the top vent of the Instant Pot is closed. Secure the lid, hit the manual button and set to cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.

After the pot cooks at high pressure for 8 minutes, hit the off button and let the pressure come down naturally. Carefully remove the lid, tilting it so that the steam escapes in the back. Test the beans to see if they are done. Salt and pepper to taste and place the cooked beans and broth in a large pot or casserole dish. Set aside. No need to wash the instant pot. You'll be using it again.

Cranberry beans after cooking.

I selected maitake mushrooms for this dish today but I've also made it with others. Shiitake mushrooms are particularly good to use. If you are using maitake, break them apart into small pieces. If you are using shiitakes, remove the stem and thinly slice.

Maitake mushroom.

Place the kale, mushrooms, garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper into the Instant Pot. Add 3/4 cups of the bean broth to the kale mixture. Stir to combine.

Secure the lid and hit the manual button. Set to cook at high pressure for 3 to 4 minutes. When complete, hit the off button and do a quick release of the pressure. Open the lid carefully. Mix the kale and the beans together. 

Serve over rice, quinoa, millet, or other whole grain. Or, mix together with cooked pasta.

Nutrition
Per serving: 228 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 285 mg omega-3 and 355 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 15 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, and 15 g dietary fiber.