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Weedygarden

Weedygarden

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A few years ago, I read that there are more than 1,000 varieties of beans. What I have since figured out is that there are categories of beans. There are many varieties of black beans, white beans, lentils and more. Basically, there are more than 1,000 varieties of beans, but a few types, about 15.

https://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/15-common-beans-and-legumes-for-food-storage/

15 Common Beans and Legumes For Food Storage
15 Common Beans and Legumes For Food Storage
04/21/2014 Ken Jorgustin 12 Comments
Last updated on April 24th, 2014

An important part of a long term food storage plan and/or a portion of one’s overall gardening plan are beans & legumes. The bare minimum recommendation of a beans & legumes portion of an overall 1-year food storage inventory is 60-pounds (90-pounds preferred) per adult.

The legume family, of which all beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts are a part, is one of the largest in the plant kingdom. Below is a partial list of 15 common legumes.

Much of this information is credited to Alan T. Hagan.

1. BLACK BEANS
660 calories per cup (raw); 42g protein

Also known as “turtle beans”, they are small, dark brownish-black and oval-shaped. Well known in Cuban black bean soup and commonly used in Central and South America and in China. They tend to bleed darkly when cooked so they are not well suited to being combined with other beans, lest they give the entire pot a muddy appearance. The skins of black beans also slip off easily so for this reason they are generally not recommended for pressure cooking for fear of clogging the vent. This can be lessened by not presoaking before cooking.

2. BLACK-EYED PEAS
573 calories per cup (raw); 40g protein

Also known as “cowpeas” or “field peas” there are many varieties of these peas eaten across the Southern United States, Mexico, and Africa with black-eyed peas being the most commonly known in the U.S. The coloring of field-peas is as varied as the rest of the legume family, with black-eyed peas being small, oval shaped with an overall creamy color and, of course, their distinctive black-eye. Dried field-peas cook very quickly and combine very tastily with either rice or cornbread. They’re also reputed to produce less flatulence than many other beans.

3. CHICKPEAS
729 calories per cup (raw); 39g protein

Also known as the “garbanzo bean” or “cecci pea” (or bean), they tend to be a creamy or tan color, rather lumpily roundish and larger than dried garden peas. Many have eaten the nutty flavored chick-pea, even if they’ve never seen a whole one. They are the prime ingredient in hummus and falafel and are one of the oldest cultivated legume species known, going back as far as 5400 B.C. in the Near East. Chickpeas tend to remain firmer when cooked than other legumes and can add a pleasant texture to many foods. I like them in red spaghetti sauces in particular and they are often used in Spanish cuisine in a tomato based sauce. Roasted brown then ground they have also served as a coffee substitute.

4. FAVA BEANS
111 calories per cup (raw); 10g protein

Not as well known in the U.S. as in Europe and the Mediterranean favas are also known as “broad beans” or “horse beans” being broad in shape, flat and reddish brown in color. This is one of the oldest legume species in European cultivation, but it does require more effort to consume. The hull of the bean is tough and not conducive to being tenderized by cooking so is often peeled away. The skinless bean falls apart so is made into a puree. A small number of people with Mediterranean ancestry have a genetic sensitivity to the blossom pollens and undercooked beans, a condition known as “favism” so should avoid consuming them.

5. GREAT NORTHERN BEANS
620 calories per cup (raw); 40g protein

A large white bean about twice the size of navy beans they are typically bean flavored and are frequently favored for soups, salads, casseroles, and baked beans. One of the more commonly eaten in the U.S. Milled into meal these mild flavored beans can be included in many baked goods as a protein booster or used to thicken soups and stews.

6. KIDNEY BEANS
612 calories per cup (raw); 43g protein

Like the rest of the family, kidney beans can be found in wide variety. They may be white, mottled or a light or dark red color with their distinctive kidney shape. Probably best known here in the U.S. for their use in chili and bean salads, they figure prominently in Mexican, Brazilian and Chinese cuisine.

7. LENTILS
678 calories per cup (raw); 50g protein

Lentils are an odd lot. They don’t fit in with either the beans or the peas and occupy a place by themselves. Their shape is different from other legumes being roundish little discs with colors ranging from muddy brown, to green to a rather bright orangish-red. They cook very quickly and have a distinctive mildly peppery flavor. They are much used in Far Eastern cuisine from India to China. Next to mung beans they make excellent sprouts though their peppery flavor tends to strengthen somewhat so are best mixed with milder sprouts.

8. LIMA BEANS
600 calories per cup (raw); 38g protein

In the Southern U.S., they are also commonly called “butter beans”. Limas are one of the most common legumes, found in this country in all manner of preservation from the young small beans to the large fully mature type. Their flavor is pleasant, but a little bland. Their shape is rather flat and broad with colors ranging from pale green to speckled cream and purple. They combine very well with rice.

9. MUNG BEANS
718 calories per cup (raw); 49g protein

Best known here in the States in their sprouted form, they are quite common in Indian and other Asian cuisines cuisines and are a close relative of the field peas (cowpeas). Their shape is generally round, fairly small with color
ranging from a medium green to so dark as to be nearly black. They cook quickly and presoaking is not generally needed.
 
10. NAVY BEANS
700 calories per cup (raw); 46g protein

Smaller than Great Northerns these petite sized beans are also sometimes knows as pea beans. They are the stars of Navy and Senate Bean Soups, favored for many baked bean dishes, and are most often chosen for use in commercial pork and beans. They retain their shape well when cooked. Ground into meal they can be added to many soups and stews without overpowering them.

11. PEANUTS (GROUNDNUTS)
828 calories per cup (raw); 38g protein

The peanut is not actually a nut at all, but a legume. They are another odd species not much like the more familiar beans and peas. Peanuts have a high protein percentage and even more fat. Whatever their classification peanuts are certainly not unfamiliar to U.S. eaters. They are one of the two legume species commonly grown for oilseed in this country, and are also used for peanut butter, and boiled or roasted peanuts. Peanut butter (without excessive added sweeteners) can add body and flavor to sauces, gravies, soups, and stews. Many Central and South American, African, Chinese, and Thai dishes incorporate peanuts so they are useful for much more than just a snack food or cooking oil.

12. PEAS, GREEN OR YELLOW
117 calories per cup (raw); 8g protein

More often found as split peas though whole peas can sometimes be had. The yellow variety has become somewhat uncommon but has a milder flavor than the green types which well lends them to blending inconspicuously into other foods. Probably best known in split pea soup, particularly with a smoky chunk of ham added. They are also used in Indian cuisine, especially dals. Whole peas need soaking, but split peas can be cooked as is. Split peas and pea meal makes an excellent thickener for soups and stews. Because splitting damages the pea, this more processed form does not keep for as long as whole peas unless given special packaging.

13. PINK AND RED BEANS
720 calories per cup (raw); 44g protein

Related to the kidney bean these are smaller in size but similar in flavor. The pink bean has a more delicate flavor than the red. The are both often favored for use in chili and widely used across the American Southwest, Mexico, and Latin America. They can add nicely to the color variety in multi-bean soups.

14. PINTO BEANS
670 calories per cup (raw); 41g protein

Anyone who has eaten Tex-Mex food has likely had the pinto bean. It is probably the most widely consumed legume in the U.S., particularly in the Southwestern portion of the country. Stereotypically bean shaped, it has a dappled pattern of tans and browns on its shell. Pintos have a flavor that blends well with many foods. When ground together with great northern or navy beans they make my favorite homemade version of falafel. When milled into a meal pintos will cook in mere minutes, making a near instant form of refried beans.

15. SOYBEANS
830 calories per cup (raw); 68g protein

The soybean is by far the legume with the highest protein content in large scale commercial production and it’s amino acid profile is the most nearly complete for human nutrition. Alongside the peanut it is the other common legume oilseed. The beans themselves are small, round, and with a multitude of different shades though tan seems to be the most common that I’ve seen. Because of their high oil content, they are more sensitive to oxygen exposure than other legumes and precautions should be taken accordingly if they are to be kept for more than a year in storage, especially if they are to be processed for soymilk or tofu. Although the U.S. grows a large percentage of the global supply, we consume virtually none of them directly. Most go into cattle feed, are used by industry, or exported. What does get eaten directly has usually been intensively processed. Soybean products range from soymilk to tofu, to tempeh, to textured vegetable protein (TVP) and hundreds of other forms. They don’t lend themselves well to merely being boiled until done then eaten the way other beans and peas do.
 
Our local Dollar Tree has been stocking 1 lb packages of pinto, lentils, black, navy, and red kidney. I always pick some up when I'm there and run them through the food saver for my stash.
Another way I store beans is to dehydrate cooked beans. Then they become instant beans...no soaking or long cooking times when you need them. They're easier for meals in a jar recipes for cooking time. A quick soup I do in the crockpot in the morning...Vegetable broth, ham bone from the freezer, instant navy beans, dehydrated vegetables, seasoning. Ready when I get home from work. Black beans are by far my favorite for burritos and tacos.
 
Amish Heart said:
Our local Dollar Tree has been stocking 1 lb packages of pinto, lentils, black, navy, and red kidney. I always pick some up when I'm there and run them through the food saver for my stash.
Another way I store beans is to dehydrate cooked beans. Then they become instant beans...no soaking or long cooking times when you need them. They're easier for meals in a jar recipes for cooking time. A quick soup I do in the crockpot in the morning...Vegetable broth, ham bone from the freezer, instant navy beans, dehydrated vegetables, seasoning. Ready when I get home from work. Black beans are by far my favorite for burritos and tacos.
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I believe that Dollar Tree has the best price for 1 pound packages of beans, at least what I have found so far. I did some research a few years ago, but things could have changed. I need to check those prices again. I put one pound packages into a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma seal lid.
 
Just read an article about storing peanuts to make your own peanut butter. It seems like a breeze if you use a food processor. I'd hate to do it by hand.
We store a lot, a lot, of peanut butter. Everyone here eats it regularly, even the expired stuff. Tastes the same. Always have a jar of creamy and chunky available in the cupboard.
 
Amish Heart said:
Just read an article about storing peanuts to make your own peanut butter. It seems like a breeze if you use a food processor. I'd hate to do it by hand.
We store a lot, a lot, of peanut butter. Everyone here eats it regularly, even the expired stuff. Tastes the same. Always have a jar of creamy and chunky available in the cupboard.
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I have tried growing peanuts for the ongoing availability of peanut butter. It was a fail. I know Colorado soil needs lots of amending to allow many things to grow.

Out of Goshen on YouTube was talking about power tools versus hand tools. Someone told them that they buy power tools, such as log splitters, grain grinders, etc. and at the same time, purchase something that is an alternative for when there is no power. I wonder about the old fashioned meat type grinder? We used to use them for many things when I was growing up, including horseradish, which had to be done outside. My grandfather and his father were butchers. I have grandfather's meat grinder. It can be used for many things. There are some that had a grain blade for grinding flour.
 
Patchouli said:
Mung beans are excellent sprouted.
In Indian cuisine, dals (yellow split peas) are used to make a flat bread type food on the stove top.
@Amish Heart you have a knack for beans.
Great suggestions and info.
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Yes, mung beans are excellent for sprouting. I have some stored mung beans in jars, should get more. When you order or cook Chinese food, those are the bean sprouts that are commonly used (egg rolls, can be added to fried rice, and more). I think they take about 5 days to grow to about the right size for eating and cooking. Because I know that, I think a 5 day rotation system in a SHTF situation would be the way to go, everyday starting a new jar.

Many Asian cultures eat mung bean sprouts in a variety of ways. There are salads made with bean sprouts as the base.

Big Family Homestead had a video about growing bean sprouts recently.



Indian dal can be made from many different types of lentils and beans, including mung beans. I really think it is great to store lentils because they take less time to cook than many other varieties of beans. I do know people who do not like lentils, but we do. A great Indian food storage meal: dal, basmati rice, and some Indian flat bread (naan, roti,...). I always think of how many people in the world have much less budget than most of us do, and how they have figured out how to eat well. Variety would be really important if you are eating from your food storage for a long time.
 
Weedygarden said:
I have tried growing peanuts for the ongoing availability of peanut butter. It was a fail. I know Colorado soil needs lots of amending to allow many things to grow.
Click to expand...

What type of soil do you have up there?

I've been growing peanuts for years but they never last long enough to make peanut butter. The extension office told me they wouldn't grow here, I decided to try anyway and they took off.
 
Terri9630 said:
What type of soil do you have up there?

I've been growing peanuts for years but they never last long enough to make peanut butter. The extension office told me they wouldn't grow here, I decided to try anyway and they took off.
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Clay! Pure clay, until I amended it. It might be the temperature and length of the growing season as well.
 
Terri9630 said:
We are sand and rock with pockets of cliche(clay).
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https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1281.pdf

I think the only way you can garden with caliche is with raised beds.

Arizona has caliche. In Tucson, in one of those retirement communities, I saw where someone dug a basement under a home. I could not imagine what it took. I had a thought that it was a retired man who was used to working hard, and was bored to tears. He probably went out everyday and dug out a quart or so of soil, several hours work.
 
Amish Heart said:
Our local Dollar Tree has been stocking 1 lb packages of pinto, lentils, black, navy, and red kidney. I always pick some up when I'm there and run them through the food saver for my stash.
Another way I store beans is to dehydrate cooked beans. Then they become instant beans...no soaking or long cooking times when you need them. They're easier for meals in a jar recipes for cooking time. A quick soup I do in the crockpot in the morning...Vegetable broth, ham bone from the freezer, instant navy beans, dehydrated vegetables, seasoning. Ready when I get home from work. Black beans are by far my favorite for burritos and tacos.
Click to expand...
I want to cook up a variety of beans and dehydrate them for this very purpose. I've never done it before. Do you put anything in beans when you cook them for this purpose? Any seasonings or anything for flavor? Salt, garlic, spices?

I have several thoughts about what I want to do with instant beans.

1. I would like to cook up and dehydrate red beans for red bean and rice packets with seasonings since Zattarains was talked about recently. I think I bought Minute rice once, decades ago, but I should be able to cook and dehydrate my own. I've just never done it before.

2. I was also thinking garbanzos could be cooked, dehydrated, and then ground up into a powder so that they are ready to make hummus or falafel.

3. Put together some meals for BOB bags that just require hot water to prepare.

4. Create a variety of meals in a jar that won't require a lot of cooking.

I realize I am a little scattered right now.
 
I found a lot of good bean recipes in the meals in a jar recipes. There's a ton of them online. They will say dry beans, but use the cooked dehydrated beans. Then I pkg the spices in a snack ziplock and put with the beans. Either jar it or mylar it with instructions on what else to add (like water). Making chili is real easy with dehydrated beans. Water, beans, spices, and maybe meat all go in the crockpot. Canned chopped tomatoes or dehydrated tomatoes. Leave it for the afternoon, and there it is.
 
I have talked about this before, doing some meals in a jar, mylar bag, or meal components in a gift type bag. I am doing lots of yard work and am greatly distracted by that, but dehydrating beans is also playing in my head now that I have gotten the recent additional beans and rice. Putting together some meal plans helps to focus on the necessary components to put them together, rather than having a bucket of beans, a bucket of rice, spices on the shelf, etc.

Katzcradul did this video about cooking and dehydrating beans. This is what I needed, a visual with input about worked for her. It occurred to me that cooked and dried beans could even be snacked on. She talks about the idea of seasoning beans while cooking them.

 
Bacpacker said:
Wonderful idea Weedy. Gonna get with my wife and try some meal in a jar ideas.
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This is a topic that I want to explore more in depth. There is another thread that is more about meals in a jar. There are many YouTube videos about meals in jars, mylar, or gift type bags (contents for a meal all together). I know there are books out there, but it would be great to come up with a list of potential meals and the contents for them.
 
I'm thinking the meal in a jar kinda thing is just a good all around idea. Being a backpacker, having meals that could be carried in water to rehydrate all day while hiking to your destination then just heat it up is a great idea. I've done some stuff like that as a side before. an entire meal is just another step up.
Having full meals is almost a MRE type meal.. Great to have as a bug out meal as well if needed.
 
Bacpacker said:
I'm thinking the meal in a jar kinda thing is just a good all around idea. Being a backpacker, having meals that could be carried in water to rehydrate all day while hiking to your destination then just heat it up is a great idea. I've done some stuff like that as a side before. an entire meal is just another step up.
Having full meals is almost a MRE type meal.. Great to have as a bug out meal as well if needed.
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I so agree with you. I would really like to make up at least one case of meals in jars that would be easy to throw into the car in a hurry. Add a couple 5 gallon jugs of water, a camp stove and cooking tools. These would be great for camping, travel, and as you said, backpacking. In another group, a woman said she makes a bunch up and they cook them in their hotel rooms when she travels with her husband for his work.

Making up a years worth of meals would be even better, as Amish has done. I wish I had done that when I was still working. I used to cook on the weekends and have food prepped in the freezer for weekdays.
 
I have really been wanting to make the meals in jars, but I am limited on room I my stockroom so I have been considering on making them instead in a vacuum sealed bag. That way they won't take up as much room and can be stored flat on top of one another. But will also leave my jars to preserve my garden.

I have made my own instant rice by dehydrating after cooked and storing in half gallon jars. Works out great for quick meal preps.
 
I did that, too, Dani with the long cooking brown rice. Cooked and dehydrated it. Hey Weedy...anything you dehydrate, you can also powder. I had all those free pumpkins, cooked them, dehydrated, and powdered. Now I just add water to make a pumpkin paste to make pumpkin pie. Powdered cooked garbanzo beans make a good start for hummus. Dehydrated orange slices, powder them for orange flavor in rice, sweet potatoes. And no scurvy.
 
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