Vegan Mofo VI- Day 10: They're Basically The Bomb!

I love beans and I could eat them every day. Now that I have found a way to make them without forking them up, there is a darn good chance that is what is going to happen. The beans I cooked last week turned out okay, but the ones I cooked today were bomb!

I followed Terry Hope Romero's instructions for "Basic Beans From Scratch" from Viva Vegan. I was nervous about adding salt at the beginning of the cooking process, but apparently that is a myth. I trust anything Isa and Terry tell me to do in the kitchen. They've been my best teachers so far.

I soaked my beans overnight. After I walked the dog, I came home and got started. I rinsed the beans, and threw them back into the pot with fresh water, kombu, bay leaves and salt. After they got to a boil I lowered the flame and set the timer for two hours. I did my "Just Dance" workout, some dishes, flipped through cookbooks and watched La Bamba on cable while I waited. When the timer went off, my beans were done. I couldn't believe it!

In the past when I have checked my beans at the 2 hour mark, they were not done. Sometimes I would have to cook them for an additional hour and they still didn't turn out all that great. I always knew that cooking beans should be easy but I never got it right until today. You have no idea how happy I am.

After the beans were cooked I followed more of Terry's suggestions and made Onion-Flavored beans. I put a bit too much liquid so I just simmered them a bit longer. So good! I am going to have to make these again really soon. I might cook a pot of pintos for my niece tomorrow because she wasn't feelin' the bay leaves in the black beans. Anyhow, my shortening should be at room temp now so I can start another of Terry's recipes, "Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas With Chia." ¡Hasta Mañana!

Vegan Mofo VI Day 1: Beans Beans, They're Good For Your ♥

I love Mexican food and since I am Mexican-American, you'd think I would be great at preparing it, right? I hate to break it to you, but I am not. My family has been in the states for quite some time now so there isn't too much that is done fresh and from scratch. Most of us do not have the time or the patience for that these days. Also, it's not like anyone will give you an honest to goodness recipe you can follow. "Oh I put the water to about here, then I just keep an eye on them". Where is "here" on my pot? I don't have the same one as you. I'm not an old school cooking genius, I need guidelines, measurements, time tables. I'm still learning to cook and I haven't got it down to where I just "know" something is ready. Although I am getting a lot better at eyeballing my measurements.

Since I do have quite a bit of time on my hands so I decided to give it another try. I say another, because I have had some bean bummers like you wouldn't believe. I think one time the beans were just too old and dry and another time I didn't have the flame high enough. Let's also factor in the hour or so it used to take me to sort them out!

This time I did a much better job, though not as perfecto as I would like. It takes practice, and most importantly patience. I sorted my beans a lot quicker than last time, yay! I did such a good job that I sorted through another two lbs. just in case I messed up and had to start over. I know that's not the best attitude to have, but given my past, it seemed like a good idea. I think I should have had the flame a bit higher, so I noted that for next time. They ended up taking about an hour longer than I would have liked but at least I didn't have to throw them out. I put a bunch of whole garlic gloves and some kombu since I heard both help to eliminate the musical element that most people associate with beans.

Today I refried them and added some salsa for un desayuno muy delicioso! I usually sauté some soyrizo to the pan before adding the beans, but that wasn't in this week's budget. Maybe next time!

I didn't make my own salsa, but I still think my grandma would be proud. Next up is Mexican Rice and maybe some torts if I get up early enough mañana.