Comments on: Ten Reasons Soaking Dried Beans Can Change Your Life

By: Lillie

Lillie — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:45:15 +0000

I have continued to carry out my grandmother’s tradition of soaking my beans before cooking them. I never knew why other than it speeded up the cooking process. It’s good to know all of the other benefits that beans have to offer. I love them and there is nothing better on a cold day.

By: Caleb

Caleb — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:43:54 +0000

Just stopping by on some impromptu internet orienteering and I thought I’d say that I really enjoyed this article, you have a very witty and cheerful way of writing that brought a smile to my dile. Informative too. Thanks.

By: ginger

ginger — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:12:18 +0000

to make cooking beans energy- and cost-free,use a solar oven. ok, it’s not a good time to try this right now in the northern hemisphere, but perfect in Australia[summer here]. to make a cheap solar oven, look for plans on the net. i found 2 big cardboard boxes, one a bit bigger than the other. i screwed up old newspaper and stuffed between the 2 boxes as insulation [on the bottom too]. i lined the inner box with alum foil. then rested a cast iron dutch oven on wooden slats or sticks laid over the foil. prop a shiny silver windscreen sunvisor around the box on 3 sides to reflect the sun onto the iron pot. cover the top of the box with a piece of glass [i slide a window out of the track and just rest it on top. tilt the box a little bit towards due south [northern hemisphere] or due north[southern hemisphere] using bricks to get the angle right. put soaked beans, vegies and water in the pot in the morning, cover pot with iron lid, cover box with window glass, and leave it all day. make sure the spot is shade-free all day. unless you live in a hot desert,it works best with smaller quicker-cooking legumes. a solar oven makes great pizzas too. bon appétit!

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:28:02 +0000

Your post has some mistakes/annoyances I’d like to bring up.

3. You lack scientific data, therefore you cannot make any conclusions. Hunches don’t amount to anything.

5. It might take less energy to make dried beans than canned ones, but how much energy do you think you waste when you boil those beans? I guarantee the industrial boiling/heating process is more efficient than your stove top.

8. You keep talking about ‘bad chemicals’ but I don’t think you have any understanding about chemistry. How much more significant do you think the the BPA risk is to your health than, say, breathing in noxious fumes present in the regular atmosphere?

By: Paula Irvin

Paula Irvin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:09:05 +0000

As a microbiologist in was worked in the food industry, I just wanted to pass this one.

About preservatives in canned beans. They do not need chemical preservatives because they are cooked and the canning process is akin to sterilization. Also any food preservatives will be on the ingredient list. It is required by law. I sugest you google any chemical you don’t know on the ingredient list and that will usually tell you.

However, I am becoming a fan of dried beans, and have appreciated the info on your site on how to soak them.

Cheers,

Paula Irvin

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:47:49 +0000

Hey, just a quick tip for you . . . I make hummus and I soak my garbanzo beans overnight in my rice cooker. In the morning I drain off the old water, add fresh water and simply press “cook” (the “white rice” setting). After about an hour it beeps to let me know they’re done. No stirring, watching or anything. It couldn’t be simpler! (But, I have to say, I am going to try the “dry” method of just cooking them up from the dried state, or maybe just after an hour or two, saving time and nutrients! Very helpful for those times when I forget to put the beans in to soak! Thanks!)

By: Becca

Becca — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:24:21 +0000

Hey! For anyone worried about beans being the “musical fruit”, just add a strip of Kombu seaweed (available in health food shops) to the bean water whilst cooking and it will combat gassy woes!! I love this trick as the kombu also imparts many beneficial minerals to the meal. Remove before eating as it’s a bit leathery.

By: Shan

Shan — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:43:35 +0000

Fox – Can you do a post on bean recipes? I love beans but never know what to do with them

By: marci

marci — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:50:25 +0000

Actually – you could just can them yourself also! haha now we’ve gone full circle – only on the frugal side!

Of course there is the cost of the canning lid…vs the cost of a ziplock…or the cost of a reused and washed out ziplock… or the cost of washing out the tupperware… they all have a cost associated with them

By: Fox

Fox — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:20:52 +0000

@Louise @marci I’ve never thought to freeze my beans. I think I need another freezer!