07 Mar Red Beans and Ricely Yours

That’s what Louis Armstrong used to say. A long standing New Orleans tradition is to eat red beans and rice on Mondays. Since Mondays were wash days, families could get the beans cooking with little attention while they focused on washing clothes. We don’t necessarily stick to the same routines, but red beans are a common New Orleans dinner.

But beans aren’t paleo. Maybe we should let the red beans tradition die.

I don’t think so, though I do favor an ancestral eating style. But, beans have nutritional value–actually plants in general do. And beans are a protein, a carb, and a veggie all in one. That comes in handy at times. Add a little rice and they’re considered a “complete” protein, great for vegetarians and anyone wanting to eat more plants. Complete proteins contain all the amino acids found in animal proteins.

The problem is that beans are tough on digestion. Beans are high in lectins, which are nature’s way of discouraging animals from eating plants. Lectins are proteins called anti-nutrients, and can make you sick. They upset the natural lining of your digestive tract, and contribute to inflammatory disorders, including overweight. Lectins are found in legumes, grains, milk, and nightshades. That doesn’t mean you should never eat these foods, but you should manage your diet so you limit the amount of lectins you do eat.

So serve white rice, and not brown rice, with beans, as white rice is lower in lectins. Actually the purpose of eating brown rice or any whole grain is for extra fiber. You can get plenty fiber from eating vegetables, and you’ll get less lectins too.

And some people should be extra careful to limit lectins. Beans are not for everybody all the time. If you are going keto, or autoimmune protocol, or just need to give your digestion some extra support, maybe skip the beans for awhile. I don’t eat beans often myself, but I do like them occasionally.

There’s a way to make beans easier to digest and reduce lectins–soak them. This is especially helpful for red beans as they are tougher and contain more lectins than most other types of dried beans. The traditional way to soak is to cover the beans with water by at least an inch and leave overnight. The quickie way is to cover the beans with water in a pot, bring to a boil for one minute, then turn off the fire, and let soak for an hour. I admit I do the quickie way as I’m not much for planning ahead. After you drain the soaking water, the beans are ready for cooking. Cooking also reduces lectins. So does fermenting. I fermented beans once, but it’s time consuming.

I like making red beans at Mardi Gras time, when I’m feeding family and friends, and a little will go a long way. Which made me think it would be a good time to share my red beans recipe. I like to add pork bones while cooking so that the beans pick up the minerals, collagen, and amino acids that bones offer. I make broths from chicken or beef bones all the time, and this is similar. Bones also add flavor. Yum.

Recipe

Red Beans

1 pound dried red beans

⅓ to ½ pound ham hock, or any meaty pork bone

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried summer savory (optional)

½ teaspoon black pepper

Water to cover

1 teaspoon Tabasco, more or less to taste

1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste

1 sprig parsley, chopped fine

¼ to ½ cup  butter (grass-fed organic preferred) or olive oil

Rinse and sort beans, then soak, then drain soaking water. To a large heavy-bottomed pot, add all the ingredients except salt, parsley, and butter or olive oil. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, or till beans are soft, stirring occasionally, and adding water if the sauce is too thick. Add salt, parsley, and butter or olive oil. Remove bones, cut off meat, and return meat to the pot. Serve over white rice.

Pressure cooker version: follow the same directions, except use a pressure cooker instead of a heavy-bottomed pot, and set for 26 minutes.

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Comments: How do beans, grains, milk, and nightshades agree with you?

Lifespa: Complete proteins

Dr. Steven Gundry: The Plant Paradox

Dr. Mercola: Limit lectins

Bulletproof: Revenge of the beans

Dr. Deanna Minich: Lectins 101

Wellness Mama: Broth

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