Legumes are gaining ground – in supermarkets, dietary guidelines, and canteen menus. But getting them onto your own dinner table can still be a challenge.
Here are 10 practical and easy tips from cookbook author Kristine Melgaard-Mani to help you bring legumes into your daily meals without the fuss.
Use canned or carton legumes
Skip the soaking and long cooking times by opting for ready-to-eat legumes in cans or cartons. Just rinse them under cold water – and they’re good to go.
Cook in bulk and freeze
If you’re already cooking legumes, make a big batch. Divide into smaller portions and freeze them. It’s an easy way to always have legumes on hand for a quick meal.
Choose frozen edamame beans
You can find edamame beans, both shelled and in pods, in the freezer section.
Just boil and toss them into salads, stir-fries, or enjoy them as a snack with a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt.
Swap wheat for legume-based pasta and flour
Legumes aren’t just something you eat by the spoonful. Try pasta made from lentils or bulgur made from chickpeas.
You can even replace wheat flour with, for instance, pea flour in your baking.
Eat 100 grams a day
Food Experts recommends eating 100 grams of cooked legumes daily. It’s part of the official dietary guidelines and helps reduce meat consumption.
Hide them in your dishes
Blend legumes into both sweet and savory meals. Butter beans in smoothies or waffle batter, black beans in brownies, or kidney beans in pizza sauce – no one will notice.
Combine with meat instead of replacing it
You don’t need to give up meat completely. Start by mixing legumes into meat dishes.
A handful of lentils in meatballs, bolognese or stews can help reduce the meat content without compromising on taste.
Don’t forget to season well
Legumes need a little help in the flavor department. Add your favorite spices, a bit of fat, and acidity.
A spoonful of butter, a splash of lemon juice or vinegar, or some fried mushrooms can add much-needed umami.
Make them kid-friendly
Serve legumes in dishes where they blend in rather than stand out.
Chili sin carne, bolognese with blended beans, or lentil pancakes can be great kid-approved introductions.
Stock up
Make legumes a pantry staple. Keep canned beans, lentil flour, and frozen edamame in your kitchen so you’re always ready to whip up a healthy and filling meal.
This article is based on information from Samvirke.dk.