Vegetarian Five Can Bean Soup

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Feast & Famine, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes, Soups & Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian, WIC Friendly  No Responses »
Oct 092015
 

5 Can Bean Soup

This recipe is so easy and so good. You can make it with canned tomatoes, which are cheap and easy to find. Or if you feel very fancy you can add 1 or 2 cans of zucchini and tomatoes. Cut the zucchini into bite-sized pieces before adding if desired. However you go, this is a delicious soup.

Be sure to look no-salt-added vegetables when possible. It does a great job of reducing the sodium content of this soup. If you use all low-sodium vegetables then you may add 2 or 3 bouillon cubes for salt and flavor. Additionally, if you must add meat–beef, SPAM, vienna sausages and ham would all be good choices. I leave quantities to your discretion. I prefer it to be vegetarian, as written. Fred likes SPAM in his.

Vegetarian 5-Can Bean Soup

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce can kidney beans
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas OR black beans
  • 15 ounce can white beans
  • 15 ounce can green beans
  • 15 ounce can tomatoes, OR, better yet, 1 or 2-cans of zucchini and tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons dry onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions

Get out a nice big pot. Open up all of your cans. Do not drain them. Add their contents to the pot. Stir in the dry onion, garlic, and basil. Heat over medium heat until the mixture simmers. Simmer for about 20 minutes and serve. Add water if the soup seems to thick. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking. I also like to add a dash of red pepper flakes, not enough for heat, but enough for a little extra flavor. Makes about 6 big servings. Serve with hoecakes or cornbread on the side. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast before serving for a cheesy flavor boost. Or if you eat dairy then you can sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese.

Classic Three Bean Salad

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian, WIC Friendly  No Responses »
Oct 092015
 

3 Bean Salad

Look for beans canned without added sodium if possible. If you can’t find yellow or wax beans you can use a can of carrots instead. This makes the salad very pretty. If you know your family will never eat this much 3-bean salad, then look for canned 3-bean salad in the vegetable section of your supermarket. Each can holds about 3 to 4 servings, and there’s no prep-work involved.

Classic Three Bean Salad

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce can green beans
  • 15 ounce can yellow or wax beans
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans
  • 1 fresh onion, coarsely chopped OR 2 tablespoons dry onion flakes
  • 3/4 cup vinegar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • Black pepper to taste

Directions

First drain and rinse all of the canned beans. I do this by dumping them all into a colander and running cold water over them. After draining off the rinse water, transfer the beans to a large bowl. Add the thinly sliced onions or onion flakes. Meanwhile, in a quart-sized saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar and oil. Bring it to a boil on the stove. Remove it immediately, and pour it over the beans and onions. Add a bit of black pepper if you like. Chill and serve. This recipe makes about 8 servings. It keeps for several weeks in the fridge, so serve it once a week for a month if desired. It’s also great for picnics because it won’t go bad in the heat.

To make a Vegetarian Main Dish Salad, you can replace the yellow wax beans with canned Chickpeas or Black Beans. In this case it serves 6 as an entrée.

SPAM, Pineapple & Bean Bake

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Feast & Famine, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes  No Responses »
Oct 072015
 

Canned Pineapple

Since SPAM is spicy and smokey, it combines well with tangy pineapple and sweet baked beans. The recipe below calls for an 8-ounce can of pineapple. If you prefer to use a 20-ounce can just use 4 of the pineapple slices with the SPAM and serve the others as a side dish with the meal. Remember to save the juice from the pineapple and add it to whaterver beverage you’re having with the meal. It’s good with kool-aid, lemonade, and iced tea.

SPAM, Pineapple & Bean Bake

Ingredients

  • 28 ounce can baked beans
  • 12 ounce can SPAM
  • 8 ounce can pineapple rings (4 rings)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Open the baked beans and pour them into an 8-inch baking pan. Open the SPAM and cut it into 4-square shaped slices. Arrange these slices over the beans. Drain the juice from the pineapple into a cup and give it to the children to drink. Place a pineapple ring over each slice of SPAM. Sprinkle the brown sugar over all. Bake at 400° for about 25-minutes, or until the sugar is caramelized and the beans are bubbly. Serve hot. Makes 4 portions. Serve with biscuits or muffins, plus hot buttered collard greens on the side and butterscotch pudding for dessert.

 

SPAM & Chili Beans

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Feast & Famine, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes  No Responses »
Oct 072015
 

Bean Pot

For reasons I will never understand, commercially canned chili beans all have added wheat. Mind boggling, I know. So we don’t ever eat canned chili beans in my house. I used to make this recipe simply by combining SPAM a little ketchup, dry onion and canned chili beans. Now I make it according to this recipe. It tastes about the same and, of course, is gluten free. I have it on good authority that cub scouts, brownies, cowgirls and cowboys all appreciate this dish, especially when you call it Campfire Beans.

If you prefer to use home cooked beans then start off with 1-1/2 to 2-cups of dried beans. Soak them overnight in plenty of water. Boil them the next day until tender, about 2-hours. Proceed as directed in the recipe.

SPAM and Chili Beans

Ingredients

  • 12 oz can SPAM
  • 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, or a large 40-ounce can
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons dry onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

Directions

Open the SPAM and cut it up into small dice. Open up the beans and dump them into a 3-quart saucepan. Add the SPAM and all of the other ingredients. Mix well. Heat over a medium flame until hot and bubbly. Serve over hot cooked rice and a hot pan of cornbread or cornmeal pancakes or hoe cakes. Add a side of hot canned yellow squash and maybe some peaches to make it extra good. Makes 6-servings.

 

SPAM & Bean Stew

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Feast & Famine, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes  No Responses »
Oct 072015
 

Bean Soup

I usually make this stew with lima beans or butter beans. If you’re not overly fond of limas then try any type of white bean such as great northern, navy beans or cannelini beans. They all work in this basic recipe.

If you’re using dried beans then start off with 1-1/2 to 2-cups of dried beans. Soak them in water to cover overnight. In the morning simmer the beans until tender–about 2-hours. Use them in place of the canned beans in the recipe. Boiling beans requires quite a bit of fuel. If you’re using your kitchen stove, a wood fire or a wood-burning stove then that’s probably not a problem. If you’re using propane then it’s more economical to use canned beans.

SPAM & Bean Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 (15-ounce) cans of beans
  • 1 cup fresh water
  • 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons dry onions
  • 12 ounce can of SPAM, cubed
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup reconstituted milk or soymilk
  • 1/4 cup fresh water
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

In a 4-quart saucepan combine all of the ingredients except the milk and cornstarch. Mix the stew gently and heat over a medium flame. Simmer the stew for about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile combine 1/4-cup water and the cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves completely. Pour the milk into the stew and then add the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Serve with a hot bread and cool salad. Easy and Good!

SPAM and Beans

 Dried Beans, Peas & Lentils, Feast & Famine, Gluten Free & Dairy Free, Recipes  No Responses »
Oct 072015
 

Spam & Beans

How do you turn a 12-ounce can of SPAM into enough good food to serve 6-hungry hikers? You use it to make beanie-weenies, that’s what you do. SPAM and beans is a classic dish that scouts and campers have been eating for many decades. They’re easy, filling and good for you too. I use a high ratio of beans to ham because this is how my family likes them. If you prefer to use more SPAM, this recipe can be prepared with 2-cans instead of 1.

SPAM & Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 (28 ounce) cans of baked beans, or one 50 ounce can
  • 1 (12-ounce) can of SPAM
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon dry onion
  • Pinch red pepper flakes or ground red peppers

Directions

This is a pretty easy recipe. Open up the beans and pour them into a pot. Pour a little water into the can(s) (about 1/4 cup) and swirl it around to get anything stuck to the bottom. Dump this into the pot too. Cut the SPAM into cubes and add to the beans. Measure in the ketchup, mustard, dry onion and red pepper. Mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the flame and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Serve right away over bowls of rice. Butter bread is another good accompaniment. If you need veggies then add turnip greens on the side. They heat up quickly, and taste good with the smoky-sweetness of the beans. Makes 6 servings.

 

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