GardenFork – Eclectic DIY

Tag: beans

  • Quinoa, Beans, and a Clean Pantry

    Poached egg on beans and quinoa

    Thanks to Eric and Tony, I’m poaching eggs like a line cook at a country club brunch.

    My local grocery store has a bin for the food pantry. I looked in my pantry and saw five cans of chicken noodle soup. I can’t remember the last time I ate soup from a can, because we make our own. It’s more likely that those cans expire before we ever use them. There was just a lot of good food and my grocery store couldn’t make it easier for me to donate to our local food pantry.

    I had an open bag of quinoa that if I didn’t use, I would have to toss. Quinoa is a grain that is packed with good stuff. It taste like couscous, but has more protein and fiber. The only problem I’ve found with quinoa is if you over cook it, it will get gummy and can turn slimy.

    First, soak Quinoa for at least 15 minutes. Then strain it through a very fine mesh sieve. Quinoa is very fine and it will run right through most colanders. Using a ratio of Two to One Water to Quinoa, bring quinoa to a slight boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

    I mixed half quinoa with beans, baked onions, and fresh spinach and topped it with a poached egg. Very filling and tasty!

    For more information about quinoa, check out Daniel Delaney’s WTF show and blog. http://danieldelaney.com/wtf/quinoa/

  • Heirloom Rattlesnake Pole Beans work well in summer heat

    Heirloom Rattlesnake Pole Beans work well in summer heat

    I usually don’t plant pole beans, but this year I realized that pole beans are more space efficient than bush beans from a square foot gardening perspective.

    I planted Rattlesnake Pole Beans I bought from Fedco Seeds, they took a while to start, but then ran up the trellis quite fast. They stood up well to the high summer heat we’ve had this year.

    rattlesnake pole beans from fedco seeds
    rattlesnake pole beans from fedco seeds

    The Rattlesnake beans have purple lines in the pods which add a neat look to them in the garden and in a salad.

    Rattlesnake pole beans
    we use sticks and scrap wood to make a trellis

    The beans taste good, and even better, they still taste good when they have grown too large and knobby. Most beans, when let to grow large, get all woody tasting. These pole beans kept their flavor and tenderness.

    I’ve started a second sowing of these beans in the greenhouse, and will plant them out when these plants start to wane.

    What kind of beans are your growing? any suggestions.