Recipes with fast, healthy and delicious legumes

Legumes provide us with protein, fiber, B vitamins and minerals. We tell you some tricks to prepare with them very complete and delicious dishes with the vegetables of the season.

• How to cook legumes and make them perfect
• How to combine legumes
• Recipes with fast and healthy legumes

When the cold arrives, there is nothing like legumes to prepare comforting and nutritious dishes that strengthen the body. Cooking them at the same time with other ingredients we can prepare stews and stews full of seasonal vegetables like those of our grandmothers, or make exotic dishes that will surprise.

HOW TO COOK LEGUMES AND MAKE THEM PERFECT

• To make them more digestive, it is advisable to let them soak for at least 12 hours and wash them well before cooking. Also add when cooking a piece of kombu seaweed and carminative spices such as cumin, bay leaf, ginger, cinnamon or fennel. Salt is added at the end.
• If we use already cooked legumes, it is best to put them in the pot along with the other ingredients to take the flavors.
• For an intense flavor we will need a good stir-fry. Spices and other dressings are key. We can resort to classics such as paprika, bay leaf, rosemary or saffron, or dare with a little pesto, tamari, Moroccan harissa sauce, curry, ginger, mustard, coconut milk or even tahini.
• How to serve them. We can serve our stews with their broth as a spoon dish, or the legumes with vegetables and vegetable proteins on the one hand, and the broth on the other, with some noodles or a little rice or other cereals.

HOW TO COMBINE LEGUMES

To create more complete stews, we can include whole grains such as rice, quinoa, millet or buckwheat, incorporating them with legumes and vegetables to the pot or cooking them apart and adding them before serving.

• Vegetables al dente. You can add some vegetables towards the end of cooking.
• Crunchy touch. When serving, add a handful of roasted nuts or a little gum or dukkah.
• Mushrooms. They provide texture and a delicious umami flavor.
• Freshness. Finish the stew with herbs and a splash of lemon or ginger juice.
• Sauerkraut. Put 1 tablespoon in each dish for acid contrast.
• Other plant ingredients. We can also add tofu, seitan, tempeh or vegetable sausages. They are chopped and incorporated with the rest of the ingredients, or sautéed and roasted in the oven with spices such as garlic, paprika and soy sauce and added at the end.

RECIPES WITH FAST AND HEALTHY LEGUMES

If you want to enjoy a good stew or stew, take note of these recipes with legumes that are delicious and easy to prepare

BORSCH RECIPES FROM VEGAN RED LENTILS

Ingredients for 4 people (55 minutes)

• 200 g red lentils or coral lentils
• 300 g red cabbage
• 3 small beets (about 400 g in total), with their leaves
• 2 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 liter of vegetable broth or water
• 1-2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• A few cubes of smoked tofu (optional) to serve
• Natural coconut yogurt
• Black pepper
• Fresh dill

Preparation:

1. Peel the onion, garlic, carrot, beetroot and potato. Store the leaves of the beets. Chop the onion and garlic very fine. Cut the carrot, beetroot and potato into cubes, and the cabbage, into julienne.
2. In a large pot heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté with a pinch of salt for about 7 minutes, until the onion is transparent. Add the rest of the vegetables, salt and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the red lentils, cumin, bay leaf and give it a couple of turns in the pot. Add the broth or water and umeboshi vinegar and let cook for 20 minutes, until the vegetables and lentils are cooked. If necessary, put more water.
4. Add the chopped beet leaves if you are going to serve it with the broth, or separate the broth and incorporate the leaves. Add to each dish 1 tablespoon of coconut yogurt, a little ground black pepper and chopped fresh dill.
5. If you want to give it even more body, you can sauté smoked tofu and add it at the end of cooking.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA POT RECIPE

Ingredients for 4 people (2 hours)

• 200 g chickpeas
• A piece of kombu seaweed
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 600 g pumpkin
• 600 ml water or broth to cook chickpeas
• 300 ml crushed tomato
• 2 tablespoons pitted green olives
• 2 tablespoons pitted prunes or raisins
• 200 g spinach
• 1 teaspoon cilantro
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Toasted almonds
• A little Moroccan harissa sauce or pasta

Preparation:

1. The night before leave the dried chickpeas to soak in water, out of the fridge, 12 hours. Drain the chickpeas, put them in a pot and cover with water. Add the kombu and cook until softened (about 2 hours in normal pot, 20 minutes in the espresso). Add salt at the end.
2. Peel the garlic and onion and chop them. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into cubes.
3. In a large pot, heat the oil and add the onion and salt. Sauté 7 minutes and add garlic and spices. Stir for a few seconds and add the pumpkin. Do 5 minutes stirring from time to time and add 600ml of
4. Water to cook chickpeas, crushed tomato, chopped kombu, cooked chickpeas and olives and raisins. Let cook 25-30 minutes.
5. Wash and chop the spinach and add it in the last 2 minutes. Mix well, turn off the heat and drizzle with the juice of half a lemon.
6. Serve with almonds, a few slices of lemon and harissa. You can serve the broth separately and let everyone put the one they want.

RECIPE WITH WHITE BEANS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Ingredients for 4 people (2h 20 minutes):

• 250 g dried white beans
• 50 g cashews
• 10 Brussels sprouts
• 2 carrots
• 1 potato
• 1 leek
• 1 celery branch
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. of herbs from Provence
• 1 tsp. of cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• A piece of kombu seaweed
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt

Preparation:

1. Soak the beans in a bowl in cold water, on the kitchen counter, 8 hours. Also soak the cashews in the fridge for 8 hours.
2. Drain the beans and cashews, wash well and prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion, garlic, carrot and potato. Chop the onion and garlic finely, and the carrot and potato diced. Cut the leek and celery lengthwise and into slices. Brussels sprouts cut them in half.
3. In a large pot heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt for 7 minutes. Add the leek, celery, carrot and sauté 7 more minutes. Add the spices and leave another 30 seconds.
4. Add the soaked beans, potato, bay leaf, kombu seaweed and water to cover (about 750ml) and leave until the beans are cooked (hour and a half in normal pot or about 30 minutes in the express).
5. In a blender, crush the cashews soaked with 60 ml of water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt. Reservation.
6. When the beans are almost cooked, salt, add the cabbages and cook about 10 minutes. At the end pour the cashew cream, mix, let heat for a couple of minutes and serve.

RECIPE WITH STEWED PINTO BEANS AND MUSHROOMS

Ingredients for 4 people (60 minutes)

• 400 g cooked pinto beans
• 400 g fresh mushrooms such as medlars, oyster mushrooms or mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 800 ml vegetable broth or water
• 2 tablespoons tamari sauce
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• A pinch of hot paprika
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• Salt
• A handful of fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon miso (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare the vegetable first of all. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Cut the red pepper into pieces. Clean and cut the mushrooms.
2. In a pot heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion with a pinch of salt over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Add all the spices and sauté for about 30 seconds to release their aroma.
3. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, garlic and a little salt and cook about 5 more minutes. Add the beans, broth and tamari, correct salt, lower the heat and cook for another 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water until it dissolves well, with no lumps left. Add the mixture to the pot while stirring and cook 5 more minutes. Check the salt
5. At the time of serving, as is or with the broth apart, distribute a little fresh parsley on top. If you wish, you can also add a teaspoon of miso to each dish to take care of the microbiota.

QUINOA AND CAULIFLOWER CURRY STEW RECIPE

Ingredients for 4 people (60 minutes)

• 150 g quinoa
• 250 g firm tofu
• 1/2 large cauliflower
• 1 small onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 600 ml water or vegetable broth
• 4 kale leaves
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar for quinoa soaking
• 2 cm fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt

Preparation:

1. The night before preparation, soak the quinoa. To do this, wash it well, throw it in a bowl, cover it with warm water and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Leave it like this with this soak on the kitchen counter for about 12-24 hours. After this time, drain it and wash again.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Peel and wash the piece of ginger root. Cut the cauliflower into bunches and the tofu into cubes. Remove the stem from the kale and cut it finely.
3. In a large pot heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 7 minutes, until transparent. Then add the garlic, ginger and spices, and stir about 30 seconds so that the spices release their aroma.
4. Add the cauliflower and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and careful not to burn the spices.
5. Add the soaked quinoa, tofu, salt, coconut milk and water or broth and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the vegetable and quinoa are ready. The last 2 minutes add the kale.
6. Instead of tofu, if you prefer, you can use cooked chickpeas.