VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good

by Mark Bittman

BIG-BATCH BEANS MAKES: ABOUT 8 ¾-CUP SERVINGS TIME: 30 MINUTES TO 2 HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE BEAN AND SOAKING OPTION Keeping beans handy is one of the best things you can do for your diet, and cooking them yourself is no more difficult than boiling water. (Try it once, and you’ll see that they’re vastly superior to canned; but also see the sidebar on How to Buy and Prepare Beans.) Not only are they full of fiber, protein, and other nutrients, no two kinds are quite the same, making them endlessly versatile. Use them in salads or stir-fries, puree them into dips or sandwich spreads, use them (and their cooking liquid) for soup, or just flavor with any of the ideas in the sidebar. 1 pound dried beans, like chickpeas (see the variation for lentils and split peas) 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 Rinse the beans under running water, picking through them for stones or debris. Soak them if you have time (see the sidebar). Put in a large pot with enough cold water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so the water barely bubbles. Cover the pot tightly and let the beans cook, undisturbed, for 45 minutes. 2 Try a bean. If it’s at all tender, add the salt and pepper. Make sure the beans are still covered by about 1 inch of water; add a little more if necessary. If the beans are still hard, don’t add the seasonings yet and make sure they’re covered by about 2 inches water. 3 Return the liquid to a gentle bubble and cover. Check for donen...