Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Store in cool, dry place Once package open, store in tightly

covered container

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker› Follow owner’s manual instructions

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

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

Nuts - Almonds, filberts, cashews, Brazil nuts, peanuts (legumes)

Seeds - walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, squash, sesame seeds

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)

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

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

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