Legumes on the Table - Legumi sulla Tavola

Legumes are often valued as an inexpensive source of protein, but are notably absent from most Western menus.

Legumes—including beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and soybeans—are good sources of fiber and have a low glycemic index.   According to experts, a diet high in legumes may be beneficial for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Beans in tomato sauce

 One common complaint against legumes is the bloating and gas.

 I have some tips to ease the transition to including more legumes in your diet:

• add them in slowly, one serving a day for a week.

•  change the water halfway through cooking them.

•  soak overnight with a pinch of baking soda and

         change the water before cooking

• mix with other vegetables (escarole and beans)

 If you cook dry beans at home, instead of eating canned beans, you’ll skip a great deal of unnecessary sodium as well as byproducts of the can lining. 

Beans cooking

These are some of my favorite dishes: 

Lentils

Chickpeas with olive oil and onion

Fava beans

Escarole and beans

Start slow and add a variety of legumes to your healthful diet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/health/beans-and-greens-a-power-couple-recipes-for-health.html?ref=dining

http://www.wsj.com/articles/want-great-longevity-and-health-it-takes-a-village-1432304395

Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas)

Fresh peas at the market herald spring's arrival.

With their delicate and sweet taste, shelled peas add flavor, texture, and color to any dish.

I especially love them with pasta, as in Pasta e Piselli.

Pasta e Piselli
All photos - Copyright - ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino

Ingredients

2 lb. peas in shells (in the alternate 1 package of frozen fresh peas) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 large onion chopped 1 tsp. red pepper flakes in oil or tomato conserve 1/2 cup of water 1/2 pound of small shells Salt and pepper  

Shell the peas.

Heat the olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add the shelled peas, red pepper flakes in oil, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of water.  Add a little more if needed while cooking.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta.

Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente.

Drain pasta and add to the peas.  Mix well and serve.

Let's Take the "MEAT" Out of Meatballs - Part II

Vegetarian Balls (Polpette di Vegetali)

Vegetarian Balls

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. potatoes

½ lb. chopped spinach

1 carrot

1 cup fresh peas (if not availabe use frozen peas)

1 finely chopped onion

2 eggs

½ cup parmiggiano reggiano

One or two tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons of chopped basil

2 teaspoons of paprika

3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 cup of vegetable oil for frying

Sauce (see below)

Preparation

Wash the potatoes and boil them for about 25 minutes. Once cooled, remove skin and rice them. Boil the carrot until soft. Cook washed spinach in its own water. Boil peas for about 10 minutes. In a pan add the extra –virgin olive oil, saute’ onion, add cooked spinach, carrot and peas, salt and pepper. Mix together and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Incorporate the potato puree, the cooked vegetables, cheese and eggs and milk. Mix well together and form into balls the size of a peach.

In a pan, add 1 cup vegetable oil. When hot, saute’ the vegetable balls few at a time. Remove into a plate with paper towel.

On a platter place the sauce, add the vegetable balls and sprinkle the balls with paprika and serve.

Sauce

6 fresh tomatoes or 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove sliced garlic

Basil sprig

Parsley sprig

Salt and pepper

In a saucepan,add oil, saute’ garlic until golden, add tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Images: ©2010 - picasaweb