Bean Flour?

We don't eat too much in the way of beans. We like chili and pork & beans, mostly. But I was concerned about storing beans and not using them. How do I get my family to eat more beans???? Last night we had Pork & Bean Sandwiches, turned out pretty good.

Recently I read an article about how to get our family to eat more beans. It's an article from the old Emergency Essentials site. I just went on their new site and wasn't able to access it anymore, so I guess I'll type it here. Good stuff!!

Why Grind Beans to a Flour????

Do your beans take FOREVER to cook? Do your old beans refuse to soften even when cooked all day? Do YOU refuse to cook them because they just take TOO LONG?? Or, does your FAMILY refuse to eat beans, so there's no sense in even trying to cook them???

AN EASY SOLUTION - Bean Flour! Dry beans ground to a flour in an ordinary wheat mill or grinder can be turned into fantastically delicious fat-free soups, gravies and sauces in only 3 minutes! Nutritious, almost instant cream soups, made without fat or dairy products can be served hot or cold, summer or winter. Bean flour can be added to any recipe calling for wheat flour. (Replace up to 1/4 of the total amount of wheat flour with bean flour.) The best part is that no one will ever know they're eating beans!

Super nutrition can be added to any commercial dry mix (cakes, cookies, muffins, breads) by adding a few tablespoons of bean flour to the dry ingredients, then adding extra liquid as necessary. combining bean and wheat flours also helps form a complete protein for those cutting out or down on meat.

To make using bean flour easy and convenient, grind any one of a variety of beans to a fine flour. If necessary, stir beans as they go into the grinder to prevent hangups. (I put my grinder on the coarsest setting and it ground them beautifully fine!) Lima beans or other large beans will have to be cracked first, using a hand grain grinder or a strong blender. I most often use small white or navy, pinto, small red, black, garbanzo, green or yellow peas and lentils to make soups, sauces, gravies, casseroles, breads, dips and desserts. "Safe" shelf life for bean flour is 4 - 5 months, but I like to keep the flour fresh in the refrigerator or freezer.


I've personally added white bean flour to some of my bread recipes (Jennie's half white, half wheat bread & my french bread) and we can't tell a difference! It's pretty yummy!

They have a Cream of Chicken soup recipe with this bean flour, I haven't tried it yet, but here it is...

3 minute "Cream of Chicken" Soup

3 C. boiling water
1 Tbs chicken bouillon or soup base
1/2 C. fine white bean flour
1 C. diced chicken pieces (opt)

In a saucepan over med heat, whisk bean flour in boiling water and flavoring. Stir and cook 3 minutes. Blend 1 minute for a "souper" creamy texture. Add chicken, if used. Serves 2-3. (For vegetarians, use vegetable bouillon, or "chicken" flavored soup mix in place of chicken bouillon.) This soup can be used as a gravy that not only tastes good, but it good for you because it is fat free! For those who use milk, you can use one-half milk or add about 1/4 cup evaporated milk to cooked soup. Non-dairy creamer may also be added (about 1/4 cup). Great for gravy or cream sauce.

This soup is also excellent with pasta and/or up to 1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, etc. Use 1 cup more water (4 cups total and cook veggies until tender, then whisk in bean flour and cook 2 minutes after soup thickens.


copyright to this article is 8/13/2001 Emergency Essentials (italics are quoted exactly from article non italics are my additions.)