Bean, Rice, and Lentil Recipes - Budget Stretching Strategies (2024)

FAQs

How to make beans and lentils more digestible? ›

Soak before cooking

Soaking them reduces gas-causing compounds such as oligosaccharides as many of them leach out and are discarded in the soaking water. Less gas-causing oligosaccharides = less gas and bloating which is a big win if you ask me!

Red lentils are an excellent product for diabetics due to their low glycemic index. In addition, it is more easily digestible than other varieties, and all its properties are easily absorbed by our body. In terms of preparation, it is definitely distinguished by the ease and short time of the entire process.

Similar to rice, lentils take on whatever flavors you add to the pot. Instead of plain water, cook lentils in a broth or stock. Adding aromatics like garlic, herbs, sliced browned onions, and a bay leaf can turn lentils into an easy and tasty dish.

Aim to soak your beans or lentils for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. Dump the soaking water (i.e. don't use it to cook the beans). Then be sure to give your beans/lentils a good rinse before cooking to wash away those gas-producing carbohydrates. Introduce them slowly.

The high satiety factors of rice and beans can help you lose weight or stay at a healthy weight over time. Satiety measures how satisfying a food is to eat and how long it keeps you full. Satiety is vital in maintaining a healthy weight.

The combination of rice and beans gives you even more protein and fiber, as well as other important vitamins and minerals, like folate. Although it probably won't harm you to eat rice and beans every day, it's best to include a variety of nutritious foods in your diet for complete nutrition.

Rice and beans, a classic comfort food combo in Latino and Caribbean communities and some parts of the American South, is one of the healthiest dishes you can eat. It's rich in plant protein—12 grams per cup—and it provides nutrients that most Americans don't get enough of. Top among them is fiber.

Black Lentils (Beluga lentils)

Best of all, black lentils are the most nutritious variety of lentils, boasting the highest amount of protein, plus high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.

Lentils are rich in a type of fiber that helps your digestive system work as it should and fuels good bacteria in your gut. Fiber may also help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. “Fiber plays an important role in regulating our bowels and protecting the immune system,” says Homan.

A 1/2-cup serving of boiled lentils contains an impressive 7.8 g of fiber. Eating lentils may also help increase the production of butyric acid, a type of short-chain fatty acid found in your colon. This could increase the movement of your digestive tract to promote bowel movements.

Do lentils soak up water like rice? ›

It is rare to find stones, but it does happen. When cooking, treat lentils more like pasta than rice – the lentils do not need to absorb every bit of cooking liquid the way rice does, but you also don't need to completely flood the lentils like you would pasta.

Cook it and serve as you would any pasta. McGiffin recommended trying it with a cilantro pesto. Modern Table, the lentil pasta brand, also offers a lot of recipes.

Think more like you're cooking pasta- you just need significantly more water than lentils. You can also use broth instead of adding an extra layer of flavor. I like adding a bay leaf, an onion cut in half, and a clove of garlic to add flavor to the lentils.

Soaking lentils for at least 4 hours, mostly overnight depending on the beans or lentils you choose helps in optimising gastrointestinal functions.

Add In A Acid. Adding a splash of acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes to your bean dishes can help improve their digestibility. The acid helps break down some of the tough fibers in beans, making them easier for your stomach to handle.

Soaking helps to break down the complex sugars found in lentils, making them easier for the body to break down. Soaking also reduces cooking time, improves texture, and enhances the flavor of the lentils. Soak lentils in cold water for at least 2 hours before cooking them to aid in digestion.

Chewing beans and grains thoroughly, or savoring bean or pea soup broth in the mouth before swallowing, greatly reduces gas and makes digesting them a lot smoother. It also brings out more of their flavor and makes eating them more enjoyable.