Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds

1. Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds FACS Standards 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4, 8.5.5, 8.5.6, 8.5.7 Kowtaluk, Helen and Orphanos Kopan, Alice. Food For Today. McGraw Hill-Glencoe. 2004.

2. Nutrients in Legumes • Plants whose seeds grow in pods that split along both sides when ripe • Excellent sources of complex carbohydrates (especially fiber), B vitamins (especially folate), proteins, iron, calcium, potassium, and some trace minerals

3. Nearly all are low in fat • Their use has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, some cancers, and other lifestyle diseases • Because of their concentration of proteins, often listed as protein sources along with meat, poultry, and fish

4. Urged to eat at least twice a week instead of meat • ½ cup cooked dry beans = 1 ounce of lean meat • Do double duty as a vegetable

5. Legumes and Grains • Work perfectly as a team – have amino acids the other lacks • Eating these any time of day, body gets all amino acids it needs or good health • Soybeans contain all the amino acids of protein necessary for health

6. Grains and legumes – 2/3 of all protein eaten by people worldwide

7. Buying and Storing Legumes • Because legumes continue to dry, purchase only those you will use within 6 months • The drier the legume, the longer the cooking time • Look for bright color, no visible damage, uniform size

8. Store in cool, dry place • Once package open, store in tightly covered container

9. Cooked legumes can be stored in refrigerator if using them within 3 days; for longer storage, freeze them, being sure to add enough water to cover so they will not dry out • Frozen cooked beans can be thawed in a microwave or in the refrigerator

10. Preparing Legumes • Versatile and easy to use • Pick up the flavor of bay leaf, onion, or other seasonings you add to cooking water • Give them time to absorb water so they are soft enough to eat

11. Can be served whole, mashed, or puréed • Side dish, main ingredient in casseroles, soup, stews, chilis, burritos, salads • Sort legumes before cooking to remove stems and rocks or damaged legumes

12. Rinse a couple of times or until water is clear • Dry peas and lentils do not need to soak before cooking • Soak beans 1 -2 hours before cooking • For every pound of beans, add 10 cups water

13. Simmer 2 – 3 minutes, turn off heat, cover, let soak at least 1 hour • The longer the soak, the shorter the cooking time • Drain and rinse beans after soaking and before cooking

14. Beans will double in volume as they cook • Cover the pot while cooking beans; bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer the beans

15. Beans can be prepared in the slow cooker • Do not presoak • Add boiling water to beans, mix well, cover, cook on high setting • Takes 3 – 8 hours depending on the beans

16. Beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker • Follow owner’s manual instructions

17. Legumes can be cooked in the microwave oven, BUT it takes the same amount of time as conventional cooking of legumes

18. Nuts and Seeds • Nuts and seeds are part of meat group because of high protein and B vitamins • Also high in fat, though not saturated fat • Eaten in moderation, can be part of a heart-healthy eating plan

19. Nuts - Almonds, filberts, cashews, Brazil nuts, peanuts (legumes) • Seeds - walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, squash, sesame seeds

20. Buying & Storing Nuts & Seeds • Sold with and without shells • Raw or roasted – in oil or dry roasted • Can be ground into thick spreadable paste – peanut butter • Tahini – ground sesame seeds (Middle Eastern spread)

21. When buying in shells, avoid broken or cracked shells • Store in refrigerator if not using right away – because they contain oil in their raw state, can spoil at room temperature

22. Using Nuts and Seeds • Chopped or ground nuts and seeds add flavor and texture to baked goods, salads, cereal, yogurt • Used in meatless baked dishes to add protein

23. When using in low-fat cooking, toast them first to enhance flavor