MS. FOODINI: The Magical Fruit

by Stef Jantz, Food Columnist

Beans, beans the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot. The famous English nursery rhyme is common amongst children on the playground or wherever they want to be silly.

I remember singing it during recess when I was a chitlin’ 30 years ago. Oh, my goodness, that’s so long ago!

Either way, beans are an amazing thing that the good Lord blessed us with. The bean was one of the earliest cultivated plants.

It was first discovered in Thailand 9,000 years ago as well as found in Afghanistan and the Himalayan foothills. Beans were also found in Egypt, in the tombs of kings left as food for the departed and their souls in the afterlife.

They were then discovered 4,000 years ago in the Aegean, Iberia, and transalpine Europe but these were the large seeded broad beans compared to the regular broad beans or fava beans discovered earlier.

Around the same time the large seeded broad beans were found, proof was also found in the Guitarrero Cave in Peru that had shown beans were everywhere and was found to be a staple of the early peoples.

Native Americans taught the first colonists how to grow beans when they arrived and how to plant them with corn so the beans could grow along the corn stalks. Pretty cool, huh?

So, beans have been around for a very long time and have proven to be very beneficial in human health. They are rich in fiber, protein, complex carbs, folate, and iron. However, some are toxic in their raw form and that is the red and white kidney beans. But what causes beans to make you toot?

Beans contain oligosaccharides that are digested in the large intestine that creates those musical notes. On a good note, not a stinky one, they are great for heart health and help reduce cholesterol and help you feel fuller longer.

What’s your favorite bean?

I am a big fan of many but one thing that stands out in my mind are the calico beans my mom always made in the crockpot when I was a kid. Never liked them that much as a kid but very much appreciate and enjoy them now. Beans can be enjoyed in so many ways such as soups, salads, made into hummus, mashed and fried, dips, sides, etc.

As always, the most famous down south are those delicious red beans and rice. I’ve had so many variations that it never gets old and is always very enjoyable, but I’m going to share my favorite calico beans.

Easiest way to do this are canned beans but you can always start them from scratch if you choose. Of course, there’s bacon in this too. What’s a crockpot of beans without bacon?

Cook your bacon and crumble it after it cools. Cook up some ground beef and chopped onions. You’re going to use a can of regular pork and beans, butter beans, lima beans, and kidney beans. Feel free to add different types if you’d like.

Dump all your sauces and seasonings in the crockpot, mix it up, then add your meat and beans. Cook for four hours on low and enjoy!

Super easy, delicious, somewhat nutritious depending on how you swap things out, but you know you’re getting the benefits of the magical “fruit.”

You can always use ground turkey instead of beef, do half sausage, or chunks of cooked bacon too. Another addition or swap is molasses or barbeque sauce.

Experiment, create some music, and let her rip!

RECIPE:

1/2 lb. bacon or jowl cut into chunks

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons vinegar

1 Tablespoon mustard

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

16 oz. can of pork and beans