COOKING WORKSHOP ON BEANS

As this year is the international year of beans, some cooks and dietists from FUNDACIÓ ALICIA came to school to show and teach students how to cook beans in a healthy way. 

Students were taught how to prepare peas pate, falafel, lentils hamburguer and white beans salad.

After this master class, students were organised in groups and each group had to prepare a new recipe considering the nutritious values that had been taught, so the activity became a workshop and it was really practical.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEANS

ONU has declared the year 2016 “The international year of beans”, and this was our starting point for the Beans Workshop that our students could do in IES Pere Fontdevila.

Main topics:

1. Kinds of beans and their characteristics
2. Nutrition value of beans
3. Effects on our body
4. Ways to cook beans
5. Some recommendations
6. Recipes and taste

1. Kinds of beans and their characteristics

Beans are of vegetal origin with a high amount of proteins, reason why they are sometimes called “the meat of the poor”. The most common eaten beans in Catalonia are chickpeas, white beans and lentils. The second group are peas and FAVES.  Another bean which has recently been introduced in Catalonia has been soya.

1. Nutritional value of beans

Proteins

Beans are a good source of vegetal proteins (18-35%). Soya beans are the beans with the highest amount of proteins. The fact that these lack some amino acids makes that this protein has a lower biological value than meat, fish or eggs. We can increase the biological value of this protein by mixing beans with cereals (rice) as this contains the amino acids that beans lack.

Carbohydrates

Beans are rich in complex carbohydrates, and some examples are bread, potato, cereals… (100 g. aliment - 50% CH)

Fibre

They are rich in fibre, so they provide high quantity of both soluble and insoluble fibre. This helps in the gastrointestinal function. Otherwise, a main problem is that they produce gasses, therefore, a way to improve this is to eat them smashed or as a puree. Another solution is to eat a yogurt for desert, which helps digestion.

Fats

Low proportion of fats. Some of them are in-saturate fats, which are good for our organism, in contrast to the saturate fats of meat.

Vitamines

Beans provide vitamines B ( B1, B2, B3), the same as animal food. they also provide vitamine B9. They don’t have B12, vitamine E.

Minerals

Good source of iron , (no hemo), which means that its absorption is low. Rich in potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and low in sodium.

1. Efects on the body

• The usual income of beans can reduce risc of some cancers
• They can help when losing weigh.
• They help to regulate the blood pressure and the cholesterol levels and sugar in the blood. 
• They are a help in the prevention of heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and inflammation.

1. Ways to cook beans:

 Beans can easily be combined with many other ingredients: with cereals, fish, vegetables, and then we can a good balance of nutrients. Beans, as well as rice and vegetables, belong to a group of aliment which should be eaten daily so as to have a balanced diet. If we eat one of these for lunch, another of the same group should be eaten for dinner.

How can we eat beans?

• With vegetables, boiled with some olive oil, with garlic and parsley, with some ham,…
• In a salad: previously cooked, cold and seasoned with olive oil and mixed with other ingredients for a salad.
• As a puree: Previoulsy cooked, and then crushed, with or without vegetables. 
• Cooked with meat or fish.
• In an omelette.
• With vegetables: with spinach, with broccoli, etc…
• Hummus: puree made with cooked chickpeas. This is typical from other cultures (Morocco,…)
• Soya: this can be found as a drink, as sprouts, tofu, souces, in powder, … For the high levels of isoflavones, this is highly antioxidant.,

1. Tips 

 

6. Recipes and taste

Our students participated in a seminar and workshop about beans. The expert, a nutritionist of The Fundació Alícia, explained the importance of beans in our diet, prepared 4 different dishes with beans so students could see how to do it, and then they could taste the dishes. 

After this, students could work in groups and designed their own dishes, making some changes to the recipes learnt, and cooked and ate them. They enjoyed the experience, the smell and the taste!!!

Recipes:

PEAS PATEE 

Ingredients: (serving 4 people)

• 80 gr of peas ( in a jar)
• ½  avocado
• 20 gr. Yogurt
• ½  lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Toasts

Preparation:

1. Put the peas in a sieve and water them well
2. Prepare a mixture with a fork of the peas and the rest of the ingredients until you get a fine dough.
3. Spread on toasts.

FALAFEL

Ingredients: (serving 2 people)

• 50 gr of cooked chickpeas
• 30 gr chickpeas flour
• 20 ml  water
• 20 gr of onion
• ½ garlic clove
• 1 tbs coriandre
• ½ tsp sweet red pepper
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs virgin olive oil

For the sauce:

• 1 yogurt
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash and finely cut the onion, garlic and coriander. Keep aside.
2. Wash and sieve the chickpeas, smashed them with a fork. Add flour and water and mix until you get a fine dough.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix and add salt and pepper.
4. Shape the falafels by using 2 spoons, fry in hot oil in a frying pan until brown.
5. Put the hot falafels on a piece of absorbing paper.
6. Serve hot with a sauce made with the yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

LENTILS HAMBURGUERS 

Ingredients: ( for 2 hamburguers)

• 100 gr carrots
• 100 gr cooked lentils
• ½ onion
• 1 yolk
• 1tbs of wholemeal flour
• ½ garlic clove
• Virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Curry powder

To go with:

• Round bread for hamburgers
• Tomato, lettuce and onion

Preparation

1. Wash the vegetables, grind the carrots and finely cut the garlic and the onion.
2. Fry the vegetables in a frying pan with a little oil.
3. Wash and sieve the cooked lentils and smash until you get a puree.
4. Add the lentils to the frying pan and mix with the the vegetables. Also add  the flour and fry for some minutes. Keep stirring in the meantime  and put aside.
5. Add the yolk and curry powder to the mixture, also the salt and pepper (to your taste)
6. Shape the hamburgers on a plate with a fork or spoon, fry on a frying pan with just a little olive oil.
7. Put the hamburger into the bread or on a plate, that’s up to you. Add lettuce, tomato and onion next to the hamburger.

7. Conclusions of the importance of eating beans

• Beans are very nutritious, proteins with a high biological level.
• They are cheap. 
• They are very versatile, easy to combine. very recommended to be mixed with cereals. 
• Beans are present in every culture. 
• We should substitute meat by beans: 2-4 times a week are recommended.

PEAS PATÉ:

FALAFELS:

BEANS SALAD:

LENTILS HAMBURGER

LET'S COOK:

THE RESULTS: