In the vegetarian diet that monks and priests follow in both the Taoist and Vedantic traditions, they eat food that is full of life force. Beans and seeds are the most powerfully alive of foods: just think, simply by adding water, you can trigger their ability to grow a whole new plant! Roots and tubers such as potatoes, carrots, beets, and such are right up there with seeds in their ability to bring forth new life under the right conditions.
As a strict vegetarian, adequate protein can seem a challenge. Beans are a nourishing replacement for meat, cheese and eggs in the diet. Often maligned because of the bloating and flatulence they can produce, here are some simple methods to reduce that effect.
– Starting with the dry beans of your choice, soak them in pure water for at least one hour and then discard the soak water. Cover again with pure water and now soak for at least 3-4 more hours. I generally soak them overnight.
– When you cook beans, as they come to a boil, foam rises to the top of the pot – skim this off and discard. (Don’t worry if you can’t get all of it.)
– Don’t combine beans and cabbage (or bok choy) in the same meal – this is an explosive combination! If your system is sensitive, you may need to avoid combining beans and cruciform vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts as well.
– Do not add salt to the cooking beans until they are fully cooked. Once you add salt, they will not soften any more.
Five Element Bean Stew (Adapted from The Yoga Cookbook)
⅓ cup Lima beans (metal phase)
¼ cup mung beans (wood phase)
¼ cup black beans (kidney phase)
¼ cup red beans (fire phase)
⅓ cup chick peas (earth phase)
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 carrot diced
1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried savory (optional)
2-4 tablespoons Miso
Soak beans in pure water for at least 1 hour. Pour off soak water and discard. Cover again with plenty of pure water and soak for at least 3 more hours (I usually soak overnight or longer). Discard soak water.
Place beans in a large pot with bay leaf, add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and boil hard for at least 10 minutes. Skim foam off the top of the pot and discard. Reduce temperature, cover and simmer 40 minutes. Check water level periodically and ensure beans remain covered with water.
Add carrot and squash to beans along with thyme and savory. Bring back to boil and then simmer until everything is tender – about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the miso.
Serve with rice, millet or fresh corn bread for a delectable treat.