I was never a big bean lover. For much of my life I just avoided eating beans. I would always ask for “No beans” in my burritos, or “No beans, just rice instead” at Mexican and Spanish restaurants where beans and rice were usually served as a side dish with your entrée. 

Beans are legumes. Legumes are defined as being the fruit or seed in the seed case that is found when split down the sides. Beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, lentils and chickpeas are all different types of legumes. 

Legumes are packed full of nutrition. They are a great source of protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Studies have proven that beans/legumes are loaded with antioxidants, could help prevent heart disease, help fight cancer, Type 2 diabetes not to mention that they are low in fat and low in calories. I was determined to include more beans in my diet.

Unfortunately beans contain a fair amount of carbohydrates which is a big  “No-No” on the I LOVE FOOD DIET.

I gave up my quest to consume more beans until I heard about a magical bean called “Black Soybeans“.

Black Soybeans are a variety of soybeans whereas the hull of the bean is black. There has been some controversy about the actual carb-content of black soybeans. Some say that 1/2 cup of cooked black soybeans only contain 1 net carb. However, I have recently read that they actually contain 8 gms of carbs. In either case, they are relatively low in carbohydrates and very high in fiber.

When you cook them long enough they lose that “soybean-y” taste and taste very similar to black beans. In fact, I think they even taste better as they are not as “chalky” as some black beans can be.

The key to preparing these black beauties is to cook them TO DEATH. You need to soak the dry soybeans for a minimum of 8- 10 hours. I am told that soaking the dry beans overnight and rinsing them thoroughly before cooking will eliminate some of the sugars in the beans that can lead to flatulence. As the saying goes, Beans, beans, good for your heart, the more you eat….;)

After the soaking, I simmered my beans for about 3 hours. I happened to have a smoked ham hock in the freezer left over from another recipe so I threw it in the pot. Every hour I would taste the black soybean. The longer they cooked the softer the  consistency. Finally after 3 hours I scooped my beans out. They were ready!

I quickly threw some chopped bacon in a pan. I added some minced onion to the bacon and fried it all up together. Finally I scooped in a generous portion of the black soy beans. I topped off my bowl of beans, onions and bacon with a generous dollop of sour cream and some hot sauce.

I may not be a bean lover but I LOVED these beans.

Chow for now!