This short video shows you how to prepare beans to reduce the more ‘musical’ effects. My body certainly has problems digesting these foods. Beans and grains are seeds, and in this video you’ll understand why being ‘hard to digest’ is very important to the seeds, and actually a part of their plan.
I’ll show you how to bypass the seeds defenses and unlock extra nutrition at the same time.
Marjory Wildcraft is an Expedition Leader and Bioneer Blogger with The [Grow] Network, which is an online community that recognizes the wisdom of “homegrown food on every table.” Marjory has been featured as an expert on sustainable living by National Geographic, she is a speaker at Mother Earth News fairs, and is a returning guest on Coast to Coast AM. She is an author of several books, but is best known for her “Grow Your Own Groceries” video series, which is used by more than 300,000 homesteaders, survivalists, universities, and missionary organizations around the world.
COMMENTS(0)
Doesn’t baking soda work for the gas? I have used a half tsp of it when cooking the beans and it seems to take the fart out of them for me??
Hmm, I’ve never tried that one. Good tip.
Primal diet? Please tell me more. The more I learn from you, the more I realize that I don’t know much. Thank you for everything you do.
Jamey
Very much enjoy your emails. Am interested in sprouting. Unfortunately there is no audio on this video.
marvin
Oh Marvin, thanks for commenting about the audio. Can you please tell me your computer and browser type? I am trying to get this fixed.
Oh Marvin, thanks for commenting about the audio. Can you please tell me your computer and browser type? I am trying to get this fixed.
please share the primal diet. I know that the paleo diet is similar. I also know that it is the perfect human diet.
Remember that old childhood rhyme:
Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart.
Beans, beans,they make you fart.
The more you fart, the better you feel,
So eat your beans at every meal.
Also, did you know that Benjamin Franklin wrote a book called: Fart Proudly?
Oh Ben! That man was amazing. Fart Proudly… can you give us a short book report?
Good information. Knowing the why really helps. What is an MRE?
MRE means Meals Ready To Eat. It is a ration used by the US military. Ha some insane shelf life and gets that from who knows what kinds of chemicals, and reputedly tastes horrible.
Many, many people have no idea how to cook. So, this is a great video and explains why our grandmother’s did what they did back in the good ol’ days. Thanks. Please keep teaching these basic skills.
I am not sure about the plant you were talking about to add to the beans to reduce gas. Please don’t assume we know what you are talking about. Many will be watching your videos for the first time.
Thank you for what you do.
Alice thank you so much for your feedback. Yes, I will do better toexplian things better.
Epazote is the plant. It grows mostly in the Southwest and Mexico. Smells horrible, really distinct, strong smell. “Big Medicine”. It is used as a de-wormer and to get rid of parasites. I’ve heard that small amounts added as a seasoning to beans helps reduce gas.
Very informative…..thank you.
I believe lentils & split peas don’t need soaking. But when I soak other beans & grains, I like to add some seaweed to the soaking water to help w/digestion. I’ve heard of baking soda for gabonza beans, too.
Hi Jr,
Oh I sprout lentils and peas. Hmm, I am not sure about split peas though. But yes, they sprout quite quickly being smaller seeds. You’ll see a litttle root coming out. They are much more nutritious once sprouted.
Majory
That was awesome! I’ve been eating beans for the last several years regularly. I’ve been wondering why I haven’t seen beans talked about more in the survivor food community and you are the first I’ve heard.
I really appreciate your dedication to the food topic and agree with your philosophy wholeheartedly. I first heard you on Coast to Coast on one of your first broadcasts a couple or few years ago after which I signed up for your e-mail newsletter. They are absolutely awesome too!
Back to my bean recipe. I get 16 different beans (black to split pea and many in between)from the Kalona Iowa general store and they keep for years. However, I’ve never tried millet which I think you used in your video. The wide variety of beans adds to the flavor, texture and color. However the black beans really make the mixture dark but I still use them since they seem to be very sweet. A lot of the black water will wash off in the soaking. The beans I’m using are at least 2 years old now. I usually get a pound of each (average around $2 per pound) and mix them in a couple of big plastic containers and store in my pantry.
When I’m ready to use some for a batch, I do soak them over night in a covered pot like what you had on your video. I wash the beans off first with a couple of rinses. The next day I cook them to a boil for a few minutes and then let them simmer on low for a couple of hours until they get soft. Getting them soft is a challenge since there are a wide variety of beans and some are harder to crack than others.
I put the beans in the fridge over night or use them immediately (depending on how hungry I am). Then morning I put it all in a crock pot with most of the liquid drained off (if I’ve made too big of a batch for the crock pot I will freeze the leftover then). The liquid If available, my favorite base liquid is a quart of my neighbor’s awesome canned tomato salsa which is a little on the spicy side from her home grown ingredients(otherwise I use low sodium V8). Her garden is next door thankfully! I also add convenient or handy fresh ingredients such as yellow, orange and green peppers and also with my neighbor’s canned jalapenos which are another favorite.
Meat is optional but when used, I tend to use venison burger making it into a chili of sorts or venison steak/roast cubes and it is more stew like. I also like adding a little apple vinegar, honey and/or molasses to taste.
Typically this is a very low sodium meal high in fiber, protein and good carbs. It can be naturally very tasty but occasionally can get bland if not too hot with pepper. I sometimes I add a little commercial tomato juice preferring V8 adding more vegetable juices. Sometime I add a couple of cubes of bouillon or just use some sea salt. Also, if it gets a little too watery, I have added wild and brown rice or whole wheat pasta towards the end and that’s a pretty awesome concoction.
Since I’m living on my own (so far haven’t found a girl that has been very fond of this meal), I just put the crock pot on the timer in the morning for 3 hours giving me a noonish meal and put it back in the fridge. I do add some fresh tomato or peppers in the following mornings depending on what I have a available to keep some new flavors and freshness in the taste. One big batch (roughly 4 cups of beans) with all of the other ingredients can last me well over a week noon meals and lunches. It is a great hunger quencher and seems to keep me really healthy (regular). I do not have the musical side-effect either. And as an added bonus, it is a very good solution for dehydration. Not sure why that is. But there are a lot of good nutrients in a batch of beans like that.
Thanks again for making that video and keep up the good work! Looking forward to hearing you on Saturday night Coast to Coast.
Dan from Iowa
Thanks so much for your post Dan. I absolutely love Coast to Coast AM. I’ll be on again with John B. Wells this Saturday evening and I am so excited. Ohh I love his deep voice.
I’ve found that beans do harden up after about five years. Beyond that, I suppose they could be ground up and used as a paste – and you are talking serious hard times there… But I’ve read enough accounts of famine not to throw the old beans out.
Hey, really appreciate your support.
Oh Dan, forgot to mention – good luck on finding the girl.
Try going to a primitive skills gathering. A girlfriend of mine who I see att these kinds of gatherings wrote a song titled “I Want A Man Who Will Keep Me In Buckskin” so there is hope.
Re: Primitive Skills Conference – Rabbit Sticks
Since I live only about 20 miles from Rexburg, ID I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet you. However, the cost is prohibitive for us old folks. Hope you have a great time.
Barbara,
Dave and Paula Wescott – the organizers – are very sincere in helping people attend or learn. I suggest asking thme if you could particpate as a guest, or perhaps offer something in exchange (work treade>). Many of the people who come live way off grid and don’t participate much in the federal reserve note system. The price for the week is only $300 and that includes two meals per day.
Hi, Marjory.
Appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us. Your “down-to-earth” approach is refreshing. (Pun intended.)
You mentioned primal diet in your email. I would like to hear more about that from you.
Christina Warinner, in a TED talk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMOjVYgYaG8) debunked the Paleo diet. Can you tell me the difference in that and what you do?
Thanks.
Hi Frank,
Thanks so much for sending that TED talk. Christina makes some great points! I especially liked how she pointed out most of the ‘paleo’ foods were actually farmer grown foods no wild person would ever have access to.
And I am realizing I’ve got to be careful about my use of terms. ‘Primal” and ‘Paleo” are buzz words that mean things to people I may not be intending.
The main realization I’ve come to is this:
– I don’t eat commercial processed foods.
– I eat foods that are the easiest to grow, process and store (which means meat, acorns, mesquite beans, wild greens, vegetables, nuts, and fruits).
– I try to eat a huge diversity of foods (the average American only eats about 12 different foods… yikes – I strive for at least 200 different varieties). And yeah, yeah, you’ve seen me eat insects. LOL.
– I try to focus on high density natural nutrition that can be done even in a collapse type situation. For example, organ meats, wild greens, bone broths, nixtamaling my corn, fermenting cabbage, etc.
Having watched this “debunking” with the eye of the chemist that I am, I’m even more convinced of the basic truths of the paleo lifestyle. Eat locally, eat seasonally, and get involved in hunting and gathering.
The argument that broccoli and kohlrabi didn’t exist 10k years ago doesn’t do anything but show that brassicas of all sorts *did*, ergo brassicas are good for eating. The argument that lithic peoples couldn’t process olives is a similar non-starter when, just moments before, you are discussing evidence of mortars and pestles from 30k years ago.
I like the science, but her conclusions from the data belie that she has never actually walked in the woods to get food. Warriner is what practice-what-you-preach people call “educated far beyond her intelligence.”
Now excuse me while I go dig nutsedge and wild carrots and build a fire to roast the squirrels we harvested yesterday.
Hi McKenzie,
How do you process you sedge nuts? I’ve grown a bunch, cooked them forever… they tasted slightly sweet and nutty. A great food – grows in all kinds of conditions. But I am looking for better methods of preparing if you could share, I would love to know.
video is not working. It’s playing two tracts and jumps and distorts.
dang. Aayla, what computer and browser are you using?
the trick to make beans less “musical” is to use only 239 beans. the reason being is that if you add even just one more bean it will be twofarty.
I’ll try that with my musical daughter!
Sorry, no sound coming through. And I cannot get this to show on a full screen.
Hi Marjory,
If I do to my beans as you say to do, how is grandpa and my grand kids going to enjoy when its time to pull my big toe? 🙂
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Here is a bean recipe that I like where there is seldom any leftovers.
A pack or two of Navy Beans soaked over night.
2 to 3 pounds of smoked pork neck. I cut off big pieces of the meat and throw that and the bones into the pot. The meat will fall off of the bones. I get my smoked pork necks a Smith’s.
I dice up about half of a medium onion. Throw it into the pot.
I buy two medium Jalapeno peppers and quarter them up and throw it in the pot. The Jalapeno peppers give the beans that little spicy kick.
I shake in some black pepper.
I shake in some red pepper.
You can salt to your liking….I rarely use salt in this recipe.
I cook these Navy Beans in a Crock Pot.
You’ll know when the beans are ready by the smell in the house and tasting them every now and then.
The beans are Yum Yum with some Corn Bread….and some sweet tea.
So when can I come over for dinner?
ha, I’ll bring you a whooppeee cushion.
is there any way you can provide written information, I cannot access sound on my computer so your videos are not helpful for me, yet I am interested in the information. thanks for condering this, BJ
Hi BJ,
Yes, I am working to get transcriptions for all the videos. Um, it does take time and man, er woman power! ha ha. So it will take a few months to get in place. My intention is to make this site the best resource for growing food and self-reliance on the web. And having the consent in several forms is very important to me.
Thank you for commenting as it is good to know what you care about and how important it is.
I’ve noticed that several people are having problems with this particular video. I was particularly interest in the subject matter but I could only get about a second at a time with lengthy buffers (or whatever) in between. Tried several different times, all to no avail. I will look forward to your new and improved system. Keep up the good work.
Barbara, what computer and browser are you suing?
Marjory, You are such a sensible woman. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Hi Marjory! I was wondering what you think about the scientists who are now saying that we should not eat beans? I went to a Weston Price Conference and one of the speakers, very knowledgeable and articulate, made that statement?! Also, when I soak, I use some ACV to help break it down or some sea salt. Love your info! You are one savvy lady! God bless! Evelyn in West Texas
Hi Evelyn,
What is ACV? I haven’t heard of that before.
Beans are generally not considered a good food for humans by most ‘primal lifestyle’ groups. And yes, the Weston Price organization is probably one of the best sources of research and information on that topic. I’ve read Dr. Prices book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” several times, and I need to contact Sally Fallon and do an interview with her. I have a ton of respect for the research they’ve done and continue to do. For many reasons I am very aligned with the work they are doing.
(The Weston Price group also fully endorses the Grow Your Own Groceries video – if I may be so bold as to give myself a plug! LOL)
Beans and grains are relatively new to human diet and came primarily with the explosion of civilization. They are ‘cultivated’ foods. In the last century because they are so easy to grow and harvest using machines, our population has tended to way overuse them. In fact the ‘food pyramid’ with grains at the base was probably created by General Mills.
Personally, I feel small quantities are fine – we are omnivores after all. The macro-biotic diet folks will argues all day long of course as beans and grains are their main staples.
What video?
All I see here is a recording and a stationary picture of you with your hand on the bucket.
Hi Alan, what computer and browser are you using? I am trying to get this fixed.
In answer to your question, YES, we’d like to hear about the primal diet. Is that the same as paleo? How can you store primal food long term? Thanks!
Hi Theresa,
I am realizing I need to be much more careful about wording.
I will write or make a video about diet. I am going to contact Sally Fallon of “Nourishing Traditions” – an excellent cook book and informational source on old ways of using and cooking foods to get the most nutrition.
I’ll keep you posted.
Hi Marjory,
Yes, I think your going in the right direction. As not the richest person around I still wonder about Oats for wild stock as the ultimated back up for the people of less.
My experiment to grow beets, Turmerics from a window sill was hope-less. But I did find if you plant the bulbs that you can grow greens OK. But I will leave it up to you to fine better greens that can be grown in windows that don’t have a solar panel stuck in it.
Ya, I like beens too. But after my out door grills are stolen. How do I make a pit and what kind of pot do I need to cook beans ?
Once use to gard our money, now we gard our bean pot the same.
I don’t think it will be the 30’s again.people have changed. but I think I would like the freedom that it might produce. I have no family just a old, old, loved cat. I think I could roll with just about any-thing after she has lived. What about us who rent ? what then ? A tent ? or build ? and where ? Imagine all the north going south. Some may be better staying north. We would need to form groups like the Native Americans did. Its the lost of basic knowledge that could be our demise _ _ _ and every one thought it be a meteor.
Hi Shannon,
You know, I do need to do a video on sprouting – which is an awesome thing you can do anytime of year. Actually, I need to get my kids to do it! LOL. but getting kids to work is a whole ‘noher problem.
Regarding refugees, I am going to order the second book by the same author of “Ersatz In The Confederacy” she id a whole thing on refugees in the South. It will certainly shed some light on how that went down and strategies for us should we ever be in that position.
Is there a problem with this video? It doesn’t load right and marjory is spastic. Sorry would like to watch and listen but not at 3 seconds at a time.
Hi Marjory,
I have wanted to thankyou for so long now for your wonderful Grow Your Own Groc. CD’s and email info. received since!!
Re butchering, we had to cull some hens recently that were being brutal to some new pullets added to our flock that were aggressive previously anyways. My husband and I used twine on the feet, a steel cone, putting the hen(s) head in the cone and then upside down in the water in a tall bin. I petted the feet to calm her down which helped, and talked her through it. I got through it, but feel like I cheated, because it wasn’t easy for the bird, and was the least messy method thought of, for us squeamish first timers! The water was cold too from the hose! Thankyou for your gumption, candor, and great sense of humor! I appreciate the way you bless your rabbits to help them move along, onward and upward, in a meaningful way.. I was telling the hens to go to the light, poor things! Hope they’re not chasing me around in the after life!!… God speed to you and blessings always!
P.S. I agree about the beans and grain problem. It is worse than eating hay!,… What to do with it, Won’t eat it even as bread, pancakes, or baked beans. Eggs easier for now, fresh grown vegies preferred, if they’ll grow here when its -25C in the winter. Now to work on this!
Thankyou for sharing your knowledge!,
Also, an excellent resource for natural recipes by the way, is a 146 pg. book, ISBN #978-1890035761, by Hulda Regehr Clark, Ph.D, N.D., called “Dr. Clark’s Health Recipes”, ..re Beneficial foods, beverages, personal care and household products….sold online,…valuable info. to have on hand,….natural cosmetics, many herbal parasite, detox and health trtmts. to name a few!….
Cheers!
:0
hello Marjory
thank you for all the great information, best to you and your family
john stone
Howdy Marjory , We retired in 02 and have been living on a 25 acre place we bought in 1979 . Wife has been sick for most of that time , but now she is doing better I thought I would put in a garden , in the past we have had some good one’s so I went to the H.E.B. got some pinto’s put them out man did they grow made some of the best plants I ever saw , whoever they never put out one darn bean . Our daughter came over and told we you can’t buy beans from the store any more to plant because they have done something to them so as they wont make beans , and Pinto’s make the very best green bean you very eat , so I guess my question is were can I fine pinto’s that will germinate ??? Ernest
Ernest, you know, I often sprout the beans from the grocery store… I haven’t tired it in a few years though so I wonder if something has changed.
I also sprouted a lot of the beans that came with the EnerHealth package – it is a simple little test I like to do as a rough check on quality. I took some photos and meant to put it in the video, but sigh, I don’t have the videographer I need right now so the editing capability is a bit limited.
You can always get seed from sources like the Sustainable Seed Company, Baker Creek Heirlooms, Seed Savers Exchange, Bountiful Gardens… to name a few.
Thanks for this video! I have known about sprouts, but sprouting the bean, or grain first before cooking was new to me. It makes perfect sense! My family used to just soak some beans, we usually used pinto, or navy beans, then throw in a ham hock, a bay leaf, some bacon, salt and pepper, and some worcestershire.
It was delicious 🙂
Thank you for all of your videos,
Rhonda Pratt
What about fermentation
I’m just learning and do some vegetables like cabbage.. But know that some beans can be fermented too. Fermented foods are supposed to be packed with good enzynes for digestion. The temph from the Harty Vegan is very delicious.
Oh yes, the Hearty Vegan! I love their tempeh.
I am working to get out some basic info on making fermented cabbage. I promised everyone I would do it a while back, and then the cabbages I was growing didn’t turn out that well, and I ate them fresh instead! LOL. but I’ve got a new crop going in right now…
I was raised on beans, almost every day at one meal or another. My sister shared a recipe with me for pinto’s. While cooking add some fresh dill, onion and garlic. She doesn’t use salt at all. I kinda like salt though. But they were great! I like to go a little heavy on pepper also.
Thanks for the sprouting info. I’ve been growing sprouts for about a year, but I use alfalfa, radish, broccoli and mung beans. But I will definitely try the pinto’s and other larger beans.
I like to make salads and put beans in it. Your choice of lettuce, I like to use black beans or white kidney beans. Feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn that I canned, what ever salad fixings you like. I have chickens so I always have extra eggs. I top the salad off with a few hard boiled eggs. I make my own dressings my favorite is a Italian dressing. 1/2 olive oil, couple splashes of cider vinegar and some garlic powder and salt. Makes a great meal 🙂
Yes, beans do go well in salads.
Thanks.
Hi Marjory,
Thank you so much for all the work you do for those of us who aren’t self-sustaining but want to learn how to take steps in that direction.
I’ve heard two opposing viewpoints on sprouting and I’d like your take on it.
1. Sprouting “turns on” the bean/seed by activating its growth mechanisms and thereby allows better access to its nutrients.
2. Because sprouting is an energy intensive process nutrients are used up in the sprouting process, rendering it less nutritious than in its pre-sprouted state.
Thanks again,
Tanya
Hi Tanya,
Well here is my take on it.
Once the bean has sprouted, it no longer needs its protective coat (the “Testa” I mentioned in the video) and it really does become a different food. So yes, I believe the nutrient are more available, and have found that to be so because digestion is improved.
The amount of sprouting we are talking about here shouldn’t take away much from the overall nutrition and caloric content of the bean. Often I don’t really see the tiny roots coming out. So basically we are finding a way to use the stored energy that the seed had planned on using to grow a plant. We are suing it very early on in the process.
From what I understand there is much less fat in the sprouteds because of the enrgy needed to sprout.
Also, sprouts have much more vitamin C. This is produced by the plant as a protective mechanism from the elements.
Much less fat? Yes that makes sense, but I don’t think it would be much. When I say ‘sprout’ I only mean the bean germinates enough to break open its testa (seed coat).
I do t ‘sprouting’ like as in the mung beans on chinese food.
Some hints on video problems (I use Mac’s with Firefox or Safari): Make sure Flash Player is up to date. Click to start, then click in center of video to stop it – allow it to load for several minutes – click in center to start again. Most “right clicks” will give option to see at full screen.
Some beans may be fumigated & it might stop germination – generally just soak till they sprout & then plant them. Only takes a couple days & then you know for sure.
I use to just soak overnight & then cook the beans but have since learned about their “phytic acid” (Goggle it). So definitely sprout and then cook – you’ll be amazed & you’ll get use to the sprouted bean look. On the West Coast try Dave’s Killer Sprouted Bread!!
Country Soup:
Saute 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots in olive oil
add 1/2c parsley & 1/2t sage
add 1c+ sprouted small bean (use your favorite)
add 2 qts chicken broth, cover & simmer 2 hrs
add 1 qt canned tomatoes & simmer 45 min
add 2c shredded cabbage last 5 minutes
salt & pepper to taste
Enjoyed the video about beans. I have a question for you, I recently retired and am looking for a home a little more isolated, is there a certain realty term to use when asking about or a place to look for small farm type properties in rural areas? I want to stay in Texas. Any advice you could give for looking for rural small farms would be appreciated.
I would also like to see information on raising quail for meat and eggs without investing a fortune.
Thanks!
Hi Mike,
Realtors do create all sorts of words to describe properties and I’ve been astonished to see what they call a ‘farm’ – LOL.
A hobby farm is a good term, but probably going to be pricey. A working homestead, or mini ranch is another set of terms that cover the basics.
But more than the marketing descriptions, look for these things in the details of the property – After you’ve found something that meets the security and defensive needs – you are looking for
1) water sources (creeks, springs, ponds, , etc.)
2) good soils (look at the USDA soil maps for class 1 agricultural soils, class II are also OK but slightly limited).
3) community around you that you resonate with.
Thanks for the suggestion on raising quail for meat and eggs. I’ll put that on the list.
What I know about beans is that the oligosaccharides they contain require a specific enzyme (that humans don’t produce) to digest effectively. We can, however, populate our intestines with a specific strain of beneficial bacteria that can digest oligosaccharides. To keep a flourishing population of that beneficial bacteria requires feeding them often – ie, eating beans regularly. If you don’t eat beans often – you’re gonna have more trouble digesting them.
I think cultures that eat beans on a regular basis (think every pre-Colombian culture in North and Central America) did just fine with them….
Marjory – my browser (Chrome) loaded that video without any troubles.
Hi Laurel,
Thanks for that tip. Yes, eating small quantities on a regular basis. It goes in line with the idea that the human body can adapt to almsot anything. Good grief, look at what we’ve adapted to sa far! LOL.
Some hints on video problems (I use a Mac with Firefox or Safari): Make sure Flash Player is up to date. Click to start, then click in center of video to stop it – allow it to load for several minutes – click in center to start again. Most “right clicks” will give option to see at full screen.
Some beans may be fumigated & it might stop germination – generally just soak till they sprout & then plant them. Only takes a couple days & then you know for sure.
I use to just soak overnight & then cook the beans but have since learned about their “phytic acid” (Goggle it). So definitely sprout and then cook – you’ll be amazed & you’ll get use to the sprouted bean look. On the West Coast try Dave’s Killer Sprouted Bread!!
Country Soup:
Saute 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots in olive oil
add 1/2c parsley & 1/2t sage
add 1c+ sprouted small bean (use your favorite)
add 2 qts chicken broth, cover & simmer 2 hrs
add 1 qt canned tomatoes & simmer 45 min
add 2c shredded cabbage last 5 minutes
salt & pepper to taste
Thanks for that recipe!
For decades, when making my chili for parties….and they like it hot, I would add a dash-1/8th teaspoon of celery seeds. Works wonders by eliminating the gas. Luv your site and info. hugs…jo
Ooohhh, clerey seeds. Nice. Hmm, you know, I’ve never saved celery seeds. I love celery, but it only has grown really really tough for me -never the whitish, softer stuff like in the grocery store. I think they must mound up a lot of something around the plants as they mature to keep the light green and tender.
Anyway, thanks for the tip.
I’m a 68 Kentucky woman who was reared on whatever you could plant in a garden. My father planted a spring and fall 1/2 acre garden and heaven forbid a weed would have enough nerve to attempt to grow in his garden.
First the celery question: I recall my father saying celery is grown in ‘field tile’ standing upright. Field tile is or was ceramic tile used for building sewage drains in days gone by. Usually 12-16″ long about 4-6″ across. Now everything is plastic. So I’m not sure if you can even find them, however, the celery would grow up through the tiles to reach sunshine.
Second, the table at our house was not considered ‘set’ unless there was a bowl of navy beans on it. I have never soaked my beans longer than overnight, but didn’t not know the reason WHY until your video – THANK YOU !
Third: Recipe: Bean sandwiches. Mother mashed left over beans, added egg and enough flour to hold it togethe and then fried like a potato cake. Placed between bread with a big slice of onion did the trick so left overs weren’t wasted. This is not a delicacy that I could get my 3 younguns to appreciate, however, whenever I visit my elders, it’s still on their menu.
I sincerely appreciate all your efforts and energies in providing ways to make day to day living more affordable and enjoyable.
Hi Janet,
Ahh, using a ceramic tube to grow celery in? That’s an idea.
Oh regarding beans, when I lived in Asia, there was all kinds of bean cake this, and bean cake that. Similar to what you describe. They also used bean paste in savory and sweet dishes and desserts.
Marjory,
I have been searching for sprouted bean recipes since I watched your video on “musical fruit”. This is one of the videos I found very interesting. While she ground the beans after dehydrating, I will have to try putting some in the freezer much the way you did with your sprouted beans. I may play with simply storing the dried-sprouted beans in a jar to see how long they will last.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q-tWBM8K5eM
I would love an update in what, a year or three? Lol. but seriously… I would.
Just a note about beans. Many years ago I spent the summer attending school in Puebla, Mexico. I lived with a local family there. The patriarch of the family insisted that there be beans on the table every evening. Therefore, there were always leftovers in the fridge. From the children I learned to eat what is still my favorite breakfast – a(corn or flour) tortilla, heated just by laying it on the fire on the burner of a gas stove, filled with warmed over beans and a fried egg (runny yolk). Think breakfast burrito with beans and without all the meat and cheese.
I was always taught to add two tablespoons of apple cider or white vinegar (food grade, like 5%) to your pot of soaking water, on the bigger type of beans like pinto, red beans, black beans, garbanzo. Then when you change water to put new vinegar back in. Then when you go to actually cook them, put in a teaspoon to a tablespoon of vinegar, if it’s a smaller batch a teaspoon would do, but if it’s a big batch that you’re cooking in a dutch oven size then about a tablespoon of vinegar. If you don’t like the taste of vinegar you probably wouldn’t like it. Yet, if you’re flavoring your beans up with spices, tomatoes, onions, garlic and such, you’ll probably not even notice the vinegar. Also told to put 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of baking soda in with smaller beans/seeds, just depends on whether you’re cooking a small or big batch.
I was also taught not to put salt in beans until about a half hour before you’re going to serve them. Was taught it can inhibit some of the softening of the beans which is needed to help them digest properly. So was told if adding in baking soda like on smaller beans and seeds, to add that in the last half hour of cooking.
Thanks for those points Lauralee. Vinegar? I’ll try that next time.
For good bean recipes, check out Indian Daals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daal). Almost all recipes include ginger. Ginger is a great digestive aid and helps us digest beans without music.
beans–
have enzyme inhibitors to prevent them from growing/sprouting without plenty of moisture.
so adding water allows the growing and so also makes them more digestable.
I let them soak overnight.
Ern
see Enzyme Nutrition by Howell
EXCERPT
IS YOUR BODY DEMANDING FOOD ENZYMES?
By: Dr. Edward Howell
The following article was written by Dr. Howell late in his life, in an attempt to make clear his revolutionary food
enzyme concept.
In spite of all I have written about food enzymes since 1936, common misconceptions persist and distort their significance in nutrition. Let me restate that all animal and vegetable foods in their natural state contain non-caloric elements in addition to proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In order of their discovery and recognition as indispensable food elements, they are minerals, vitamins and enzymes. It is obvious that merely discovering that foods are endowed by nature with any particular non-caloric food material should constitute ail the proof needed to establish this substance as a protector of the health and well being of living organisms, including the human race, during the whole life span. This is because constituents of unprocessed natural foods have had countless eons of time to mold and shape the form and function of living organisms and have created a dependence to fill a need. Therefore, to remove any part of natural food from the normal diet could not be sanctioned because of the possibility of harm to the health and well-being.
This has been shown by the history of nutrition. Not very long ago, the only elements considered necessary for wholesome nutrition were protein, carbohydrates and fats. Minerals were considered unimportant and ignobly characterized by chemists as “ash” because they were all that remained after food was burned in the laboratory. Vitamins and enzymes in foods were unknown. The fiber of foods was removed and discarded because fiber was believed to be too coarse for the human digestive tract. Many people formerly believed that vegetables were fit food only for rabbits and cows not humans. The immigrants flooding here form Europe during the early years of this century, foolishly embraced white bread with open arms. In the backward, unindustrialized countries, only the wealthy ate white bread, the common people having to be satisfied with whole grain bread, of whose health value they were ignorant.
The bran of wheat, which we now value as necessary food fiber, along with the valuable wheat embryo or germ, were removed and found their way into rations for cattle and hogs, proving to serve as excellent nutrition for these animals.
For over a hundred years, enzymes had a reputation as being important in the digestion of food, and that was all. Their area of operation was believed to be limited to the stomach and intestines. It was not realized until recently that the work enzymes do in the digestive tract is only a minor part of their complete duties in the bodies of animals and human beings. Enzymes are the active agents in metabolism – in anabolism and catabolism. Enzymes are the actors behind the scenes in the immunity processes. They power your thinking, breathing, sexual activity — your very life. Thousands of different enzymes – metabolic enzymes – are involved in everything going on in the heart, lungs, liver, arteries, blood, muscles — in all organs and tissues. Your body is expected to make all of these digestive and metabolic enzymes.
But while the body is required to produce less than a dozen essential digestive enzymes, functioning only in the food canal, it must furnish thousands of metabolic enzymes to service the multitudinous activities of the entire organism. Metabolic enzymes do work, they are workers. They take absorbed food products with their minerals and vitamins, and build them into tissues. They repair the body and aim to keep the organs healthy. Furthermore, through substrate action, metabolic enzymes remove worn-out material from the cells, keeping everything in repair. It can be recognized that this is a far bigger job for enzymes than merely digesting food in the food canal, part of which should be done by food enzymes, or if need be, by other exogenous enzymes, meaning supplemental enzymes. So which are more important in the body, digestive enzymes or metabolic enzymes? Let us beware about permitting a metabolic enzyme labor shortage to form, which can induce our problem diseases.
If metabolic enzymes are more important, then why must they play second fiddle, and have second call, in the allocation of the body’s resources? Why are digestive enzymes kept rich by having first call on the limited enzyme potential of the organism, while the more important metabolic enzymes must be satisfied with what is left? I must emphasize that the reader of this treatise is an owner of the serviceable and precious metabolic enzymes. Smart owners will not force their digestive enzymes to do work meant for food enzymes if this extra burden in the digestive enzymes requires the body to put a strain on producing their multi-functional metabolic enzymes and not have enough of them to carry on their important functions. If you were a biological engineer, responsible for efficient operation and health of human organisms, is it not logical that you would see to it that the digestive enzymes be given less work by allowing food enzymes, or supplemental enzymes, if need be, to do more digesting, as evolution, or the God of nature’s laws, ordained?
Thanks for that article.
Nice history lessons in there. Hah, vitamins and minerals just ash… Wow. wonder what things we do toady that twill look ridiculous tomorrow?
So you can take Beano, and other enzyme supplements, and eat raw foods like sprouts.
Ern
My grandmother always put saltpeter in her beans. I think about 2 level tablespoons. Faulty memory here but in thinking about it and recalling watching her I think it was about 2 tablespoons. She never measured anything and was an amazing cook. We never had gas. Start small, a teaspoon, and if it does not work add a little more next time until you are gasless. I will caution you about too much saltpeter because I remember too much is not good for you. search it.
Hi Gene,
Uh, isn’t saltpeter also used to reduce sexual impulses? The Navy used to feed it to the sailors… that kind of thing.