Instead of a "sweet tooth", I have a "sour tooth".
I love the sour taste; therefore, I love sauerkraut and everything cooked with it. Below is a winter soup recipe that I developed with sauerkraut.
I encourage you to experiment with the ingredients and spices. For example, sometimes I add rice to the soup, and only recently I started adding turmeric. You could also change the ratio of sauerkraut to beans.
SAUERKRAUT AND BEANS SOUP
You need:
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion
1 can (40.5 oz) Northern beans
1 can (15 oz) black beans
2 cans (15 oz) sauerkraut
Spices (optional): paprika, winter savory, turmeric, black pepper, red pepper flakes
Instructions:
Chop the onion thinly and soften in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the Northern beans, and water enough to cover the beans. Boil until soft, and the beans are easy to mash (I use a hand masher, but if you have a blender, blend the mixture). Add the sauerkraut, black beans and water to the desired density (I add approximately eight cups of water) and bring to boil. Continue cooking at low heat until the sauerkraut is soft. Before turning the heat off, and add the spices of choice.
You already know that I am on a crusade to increase your fiber intake just because it is good for you! This is a high-fiber recipe and is a variation of a spread from the book of Leanne Brown, Good and Cheap, available free online. I just prepared the spread and it tasted divine.
You will need:
15 oz beans (garbanzo or navy), 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil, hot pepper flakes, and paprika.
How to:
Divide the beans into two equal batches. Mash the first batch of beans with some of the can liquid by hand or blend it with a food processor. Heat the oil in a pan and add the minced (pressed) garlic for a few seconds carefully watching not to burn it. Add the second part of beans (the ones that were left whole) to the pan and heat for 2 minutes. Add the thawed spinach (after removing as much of the spinach liquid as possible), stir to incorporate. Finally, add the blended beans, the pepper flakes and the paprika. Mix, remove from the heat, store in a jar and use as a sandwich topping. Optionally: add spices of your preference and some lemon juice. I did not add salt since the beans are already prepared with salt.
The list of cancers associated with obesity is expanding. According to the most recent analyses, obese individuals are at higher risk of ten types of cancer.
The best approach to controlling weight is to eat at home and know what is in the dish. This is why we should teach ourselves and our children how to cook. As a busy mother with a job, I do not have time to cook every day. I cook only on weekends and freeze. The most appealing recipes to me are the ones that are simple (with less than ten ingredients), do not have any exotic components, and result in healthy meals that freeze well.
I will be sharing some of these recipes, and today I will start with the recipe “Monastery Beans”. I am not sure whether a monk created this recipe; however, it is simple and healthy.
MONASTERY BEANS
Soak one pound of white beans in cold water overnight. On the next day, throw the water and cook the beans with one onion, one carrot, and a pepper (all sliced thinly). To cook, add water (the beans to water ratio is usually 1:2). When the beans are ready, add dry peppermint, fresh or dry parsley and salt to taste. Optionally, add winter savory and hot pepper. The beans could be served with a bit of olive oil and paprika. The dish is delicious with some crumbled feta cheese on top and a fresh tomato salad on the side.
