What are You Eating from the Garden?

[Zeedman]

Two days ago, I decided to experiment with some of my old "SHTF" beans, to determine how edible they really were. I soaked some 2012 Cave Dweller Black limas over-night; most of the seeds remained hard, and didn't expand much. So I boiled them for about 30 minutes; they became flexible, but still didn't expand much. I turned off the heat, and allowed them to soak until completely cool - about 3 hours. At that point most of the beans had expanded, there were no remaining hard seeds - and they remained completely black. The pound of dry limas became about two quarts of cooked beans.

Last night I used about 2 cups of the cooked limas, to make my version of succotash. I added an equal measure of last year's cut sweet corn, about a cup each of chopped celery & chopped ripe sweet peppers, and butter, salt, and pepper to taste. DW & I both enjoyed it; a pleasant departure from the same-old vegetables, and we'll finish it off this week. And probably as a result of the long cooking/soaking time, there were no unpleasant gastronomical issues. The rest of the cooked limas have been frozen for future use. It was reassuring to find that the old beans we have been storing are still useful.

 

[Dahlia]

Do Cave Dweller Black Lima beans taste similar to the large lime green colored ones you buy at the store in the frozen section? If they do, you can make refried beans out of the lima beans and make yummy bean burritos! I learned that from one of my friends who has been a vegetarian her entire life. If you make homemade tortillas they are even better!

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I thinned my spinach this morning and put them in an omelette! First harvest of the year!

 

[baymule]

Tonight we had a T-bone steak, and English peas and cream corn from the garden.

 

[Zeedman]

Do Cave Dweller Black Lima beans taste similar to the large lime green colored ones you buy at the store in the frozen section? If they do, you can make refried beans out of the lima beans and make yummy bean burritos! I learned that from one of my friends who has been a vegetarian her entire life. If you make homemade tortillas they are even better!

That's not a bad idea; the consistency is about right, and the color is similar to black beans (which we also put in burritos). The flavor is milder than green limas, so it should be pleasant. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Dahlia]

That sounds wonderful! Tonight we had butternut squash with broccoli and cheddar soup, rosemary bread, and pumpkin pie from a home grown pumpkin!

 

[flowerbug]

Two days ago, I decided to experiment with some of my old "SHTF" beans, to determine how edible they really were. I soaked some 2012 Cave Dweller Black limas over-night; most of the seeds remained hard, and didn't expand much. So I boiled them for about 30 minutes; they became flexible, but still didn't expand much. I turned off the heat, and allowed them to soak until completely cool - about 3 hours. At that point most of the beans had expanded, there were no remaining hard seeds - and they remained completely black. The pound of dry limas became about two quarts of cooked beans.

Last night I used about 2 cups of the cooked limas, to make my version of succotash. I added an equal measure of last year's cut sweet corn, about a cup each of chopped celery & chopped ripe sweet peppers, and butter, salt, and pepper to taste. DW & I both enjoyed it; a pleasant departure from the same-old vegetables, and we'll finish it off this week. And probably as a result of the long cooking/soaking time, there were no unpleasant gastronomical issues. The rest of the cooked limas have been frozen for future use. It was reassuring to find that the old beans we have been storing are still useful.

i never pre-soak beans, i just rinse 'em off and give them a quick look to make sure none have started getting moldy in storage. after that, i cover them with cold water with twice or more of the volume in the pan and bring them to a boil, stirring to make sure they don't stick. then after they are boiling i reduce the heat to a simmer and stir them again once or twice until the heat has reduced enough to leave them for a half hour when i will stir them again, every half hour until done. sometimes i cook them a bit extra to make sure they are well done. some beans cook up quicker than others.

after they are done and cool if we're not going to eat all of them i'll rinse them off (Mom doesn't like the juice and bits left in the juice she calls it sludge, i like it, but oh well) and we put some in the freezer for later use.

last night i finished off the last of the squash i'd cooked up a few weeks ago. all that is left now of the squash is in the freezer to be enjoyed the rest of the winter as we get inspired enough.

today we'll have mushroom onion soup made from the last onions from the garden. only garlic out in the garage for storage and not even that much left of that, it is getting too cold out there.

 

[digitS']

i never pre-soak beans

Really? Is that something common with those of you more knowledgeable, gardening human beans?

I'm all for simplifying and that is something I appreciate about lentils.

Steve

 

[Zeedman]

Really? Is that something common with those of you more knowledgeable, gardening human beans?

I'm all for simplifying and that is something I appreciate about lentils.

Steve

Lentils are easy, as are cowpeas, mung beans, and garbanzos. Supposedly soup peas too, if I ever get enough of them to make the effort worthwhile.

i never pre-soak beans, i just rinse 'em off and give them a quick look to make sure none have started getting moldy in storage. after that, i cover them with cold water with twice or more of the volume in the pan and bring them to a boil, stirring to make sure they don't stick. then after they are boiling i reduce the heat to a simmer and stir them again once or twice until the heat has reduced enough to leave them for a half hour when i will stir them again, every half hour until done. sometimes i cook them a bit extra to make sure they are well done. some beans cook up quicker than others.

I pre-soak all dry beans & limas; it helps the beans to fully expand, and reduces the sugars which cause gas. This tends to work well for newer beans; for old beans, not so much. The cooking & extended cooling is supposed to be an alternative to pre-soaking, not an additional step... but it's nice to know that the whole process worked on old beans, since I have maybe 100+ pounds in dry storage (and about an equal quantity of dry soybeans).

 

[flowerbug]

i don't have a problem with gas when i don't pre-soak them either. my gut is pretty well adapted to eating beans by now.