Beans are a great source of protein. I enjoy experimenting with different beans to bring variety into my diet. Yellow Eye Beans are high in dietary fiber and iron, low in sodium, and contain no sugar, saturated fat, or cholesterol. One cup of Yellow Eye Beans (boiled) is approximately 250 calories. This recipe can be made with another bean if you cannot find Yellow Eye Beans.
I hope you enjoy this light yet satisfying bean salad. The flavors and textures make each bite enjoyable. Serve with Gluten Free crackers or rolls if you wish to add carbohydrates to the meal. Traditionally Yellow Eye Beans are cooked with honey or molasses and are made into a baked bean side dish. I love this recipe as it allows the flavor of the bean to shine, rather than overpower it with sugar. If your local store does not have dry yellow eye beans, you can find them for sale on Amazon.
Enjoy this YogaLean recipe and find others at HealthyRecipeVariations.
Base Ingredients:
2 cups of DRY Yellow Eye Beans
3 cups of water
3 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
4 cups of vegetables – cut in even sizes – I used a variety of bell peppers, onion, garlic, and sweet potato.
Olive oil for sautéing vegetables
1 cup of low sodium vegetable broth for preparing the vegetables
2 cups of spinach
1 cup Sorghum ( I use Bob’s Red Mill)
Variations:
Substitute your favorite bean for the Yellow Eye Bean
Substitute red cabbage (diced) for the spinach
Substitute quinoa or millet for the sorghum
Vegetables: Staples include onion or shallot and garlic
Combinations can include:
mushroom, bell pepper, and basil
carrot, sweet potato, and tarragon
leek, sweet potato (or potato), and parsley
Instructions: After the beans are hydrated, it takes 30 minutes or less.
Rehydrate the beans (and bay leaf) in the liquid. I like to do this overnight.
After the beans have hydrated, slow cook them until they get soft…but still have an amount of firmness. The cooking stopping point is a moment to reflect on personal preference. If you want a little bite to your bean salad, stop cooking before the beans crack open and get soft. If you wish the soft texture to the bean salad, allow them to cook longer. Coking time is 1-2 hours.
Prepare the sorghum according to package directions (3 to 1 ratio). For the liquid, I use a combination of water and low sodium vegetable broth. This takes 30 minutes or so.
After the beans and sorghum are ready, dice the vegetables you wish to use.
Add the vegetables to a pan with 2 TBSP olive oil. Sautee and stir for 3 minutes then add 1 cup of low sodium vegetable broth. Allow the vegetables to soften some with the liquid.
When the liquid is almost absorbed by the vegetables, add the sorghum, and 3 cups of cooked beans. Stir.
Serve on a bed of spinach, stir spinach in the mixture and serve, or put the mixture in a “to go” container and take with you as a work-day lunch!
The dish is wonderful warm or cold. Garnish with sesame seeds or sunflower sees for added texture!
