BEANS & GRAINS: a fresh look at saving money

Looking for a culinary silver lining in our depressing economy? Learning to cook creatively with cheap foods such as beans and grains can save you money, liven up your table with new recipes and improve your health. Government nutritional guidelines say eating at least 3 ounces of whole grains a day can reduce the risk of chronic disease and help maintain a healthy weight.

 


Whole grains include whole wheat flour, whole oats, wild and brown rice, whole-grain corn and barley, buckwheat, bulgur, millet and quinoa. Most grains can be cooked in water like rice, and can substitute for it in dishes like stir fries.
Sesame 'Parmesan'

Yield: about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup raw sesame seeds (hulled)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (Red Star brand)

1 teaspoon each: onion powder and garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place seeds in a dry, non-stick skillet. Roast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until seeds become light brown and emit a fragrant aroma. Remove seeds immediately from skillet and allow to cool completely. (Another way: Spread raw seeds evenly on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, until lightly browned, stirring after 15 minutes.)

Place cool seeds and remaining ingredients in blender and blend until coarsely ground, stopping to stir mixture, as necessary.

Refrigerate leftovers and use within 14 days.

Lima Lasagna

Yield: 6-8 servings

3 cups cooked and mashed lima beans

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups pasta sauce

11/2 cups onions (chopped)

2 cups mushrooms (sliced)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

11/2 teaspoons each: dried basil, dried oregano

9 whole grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)

1/4 cup Sesame "Parmesan" (optional)

In a bowl, combine mashed beans and salt.

In a saucepan, combine pasta sauce and next 5 ingredients. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions are tender.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread thin layer of pasta sauce mixture on bottom of oiled 9 x 13-inch (or similar size) baking dish.

Without overlap, layer 3 uncooked noodles over pasta sauce. Evenly spread 1/3 of mashed lima bean mixture over noodles. As before, make another layer of pasta sauce, noodles, and mashed lima beans.

Repeat with another layer of sauce, noodles, and beans. Sprinkle sesame "Parmesan" evenly over top layer. Cover and bake 60 minutes. Let lasagna stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 3-5 days, or freeze for longer period.

Variation: Add one or more layers of steamed or raw spinach to make spinach lasagna.

Cook's note: To save time and effort, layer the whole grain noodles in the baking dish without first boiling them.