by Graham Kerr
You can plant a new crop every 10 days for a continual harvest, and you can plant in autumn for a winter crop.
Very thin, green in-the-pod beans need only enough steaming time to enhance their color (2-3 minutes).
If you let the shell beans alone, they’ll grow and eventually yellow, easily opening to spill out their white good-size beans. These can be sun-dried and stored away from light and moisture in fabric bags, not in glass or plastic. I always rinse and pick over and discard any broken, moldy, or discolored shell beans, and then soak them overnight before cooking.
The Numbers
Red kidney beans per 100 g raw (3.5 oz; ½ cup): 127 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 23 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 7 g dietary fiber, 1 mg sodium
Green beans per 100 g raw (3.5 oz; ½ cup): 31 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 6 mg sodium
Beans
Annual
Water: Light; more after blooms but try to keep the foliage dry to avoid disease
Sun: Full
Companion Planting:
PRO: Bush/pole beans, carrots, celery, chard
CON: Beets, cabbage, onions
Pests: Aphids, bean leaf beetles, cabbage loopers, slugs, whiteflies
Diseases: Anthracnose, blight, mildew, crown rot Soil: Humus-rich, loose, well-drained; add nitrogen-fixing bacteria in new garden
Fertilizer: Low nitrogen, moderate phosphorus, potassium pH: 6.0-6.8
Varieties:
IN THE POD: Blue Lake (bushy pole), Venture (extra early bush)
HORTICULTURAL/SHELL: Borlotti (red/cream), Great Northern White, King of the Garden (lima), fava Zones: 3-11
Planting: Spring, seed 1-inch deep when soil is 65ºF and above, from then on every 10 days; also in fall for a winter crop
Germinate: 4-10 days
Blooms: Summer
Harvest: Bush variety, 45-60 days; pole variety, 60-85 days
Rotation: Alternate with leafy greens like chard; leave bed for 3 years before reseeding with beans
Edible: Seeds and, in some cases, pods
BEAN DIP WITH A KICK
Bean dips are always popular at a party. This one can deliver quite a punch, depending on how you handle a ¼ teaspoon measure of spices.
SERVES 4
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup low-fat salad dressing, any variety
¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 pound carrots cut into sticks or ready-peeled
small carrots, or other cut-up veggies
In a blender, combine beans with salad dressing until smooth and creamy. Add hot pepper flakes according to your taste or split the mixture into mild and lethal heat. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve as a dip for carrots or other cut-up vegetables.
Per serving: 176 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 7 g dietary fiber, 172 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Starch, 2 Vegetable
SENATE BEAN SOUP
This is the famous soup served in the Senate in Washington, DC, and especially welcome on raw ice-bound winter days. Although it’s normally made with ham hocks (more pork barrel for you), this variation is purely vegetarian to meet our focus on vegetables. The smoked paprika is used to replace the color and flavor taken out when the classic ham hock is removed.
SERVES 6
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed, picked over,
and soaked overnight
½ teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
1½ cups chopped sweet onion
4 garlic cloves, bashed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
(yield 1½ cups)
2 ribs celery, cut into ¼-inch dice (yield 1 cup)
1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
(yield 1½ cups)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried summer savory
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika or to taste
Pour water into a medium saucepan with the bay leaf and cloves. Add the beans, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 1½ hours or until the beans are tender but not mushy. (You can cut cooking time by using a pressure cooker; check the manufacturer’s instructions. You can also use canned beans.)
When the beans are cooked, heat the oil in a chef’s pan or skillet over medium-high. Sauté the onions for 2 minutes and then add the garlic, carrots, celery, and potato. Cook for 3 more minutes before adding to the cooked beans and their cooking liquid. Stir in the cumin and summer savory, and simmer 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Pour about a third of the bean mixture into a blender and whiz until smooth. Return it to the rest of the beans and stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the smoked paprika. Serve with more chopped parsley.
Per serving: 344 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 64 g carbohydrate, 16 g protein, 15 g dietary fiber, 322 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3½ Starch, 1 Very Lean Meat, 2 Vegetable
STRING WING BEAN SALAD
An extremely low-fat salad with tons of flavor.
SERVES 4
FOR THE SALAD
1 pound green beans or wing beans, tipped, tailed, and cut in half
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
4 fresh Italian plum tomatoes, such as Roma, cut lengthwise into eighths
¼ cup roughly chopped stuffed green olives
6 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced (yield 1 tablespoon)
2 green onions, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
(yield ¼ cup)
FOR THE GLAZE
¼ teaspoon arrowroot
½ teaspoon water
¼ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
To prepare the salad, place the beans in a large vegetable steamer and sprinkle with the salt, black pepper, and allspice. Cover and steam for 6 minutes.
Combine the tomatoes, olives, basil, and onions in a large serving bowl and set aside.
Prepare the glaze: Combine the arrowroot with the water to make a slurry. Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and add the slurry. Stir over medium heat until clear, glossy, and slightly thickened.
Add the cooked beans to the tomato mixture in the serving bowl and toss with the warm vinegar glaze.
Per serving: 49 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 360 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetables
Beets and Beet Greens
Beta vulgaris esculenta
Red beets have such a grand color and flavor, especially when they wind up in the classic Polish borscht, along with its inevitable velvety sour cream finish ... Now that would be reason enough to plant the root were it not for the added benefit of the equally delicious young beet leaves, which actually have better nutritional value than the root.
Our beets grew rapidly in the only semishaded part of our garden, but they still got a good 6-7 hours of sun each day. I thinned them to a 2-inch clear space several times. (I steamed the early 6-inch-high greens with their immature roots and served them with nonfat vegetarian canned baked beans—delicious!)
I love the idea that this wild North African native was first cultivated by the Egyptians; somehow it has added a layer of the exotic that Poland—no matter how great its cuisine—doesn’t evoke.
My earliest memories of beets revolve around the thin pickled slices served with salads and the way my grandmother used to dice beets and stir them into clouds of amazingly light and fluffy mashed potatoes, along with a handful of parsley. There was no need for cream, milk, or butter; the sweet/sour of the pickled beet and its smooth lig
ht purple companion were enough!
In early spring into summer, I have also used the leaves in small pieces in salad mixes.
I found out, too late for my first year, about the Chioggia—a classic heirloom beet with a candy striped interior that doesn’t bleed like the deep red varieties. They lose their distinct red and white rings when boiled or steamed, but do better when wrapped in foil and roasted. So next year I’ll plant the yellow Goldens and the curiously striped Chioggias.
The Numbers
Beets contain high levels of oxalate, which could be of concern for kidney stones.
Roots for each 100 g boiled (3.5 oz; ½ cup): 43 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 10 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 77 mg sodium
Leaves for each 100 g raw (3.5 oz; 1 cup firmly packed): 22 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 226 mg sodium
Beets and Beet Greens
Annual/Cool Season
Water: Overhead, regular; to keep leaves crisp
Sun: Partial shade
Companion Planting:
PRO: Bush beans, cabbage, leeks, lettuce, onions, radishes
CON: Mustard, pole beans
Pests: Beet leafhoppers, webworms, weevils, flea beetles
Diseases: Leaf spot, scab
Soil: Light loam, well drained, free of stones
Fertilizer: Ample manure/compost, 9 inches down; fish emulsion when leaves are 6 inches high
pH: 6.5-7.5
Varieties: Red Ace, Chioggia (candy striped), Golden (yellow), Crosby Egyptian
Zones: 5-10
Planting: Seed ¼-½ inch deep, 2-4 weeks before last frost; thin seedlings 4-6 inches apart
Germinate: 4-10 days, then every 2-3 weeks for successive planting until midsummer
Blooms : 2nd year
Harvest: 49-91 days
Rotation: Avoid following spinach or chard
Edible: Roots and leaf greens
BEETS
Basic Preparation
Wash the beet roots and the leaves well. Cut the greens off the beets, leaving an inch of stem. Leave the long root intact.
Cut the greens into ¼-inch pieces. Set aside.
Cover the beets with water in a saucepan and cook whole until tender, 30-45 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Peel and cut into quarters or slice.
Alternatively, roast the raw beet root, wrapped in foil, at 350ºF for 40 minutes.
BEET AND POTATO PUREE
This takes me right back to my boyhood. How I loved this side dish! Recently I’ve added fresh basil leaves, which provide a splendid color and flavor contrast.
SERVES 4
2 medium russet potatoes
3 medium beets, boiled or roasted, sliced
(see Basic Preparation)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 fresh whole basil leaves
Peel the potatoes and cut in eighths. Cook for 15 minutes in boiling water. Add the sliced cooked beets and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more. Drain.
Mash the potatoes and beets together, and stir in the salt and black pepper. I like a rather lumpy mash for its interesting texture, but if you want it completely smooth, you can whiz it in a food processor. Add the basil just before serving.
Per serving: 75 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 17 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 178 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Starch
BEET SALAD
A truly different salad to take along to a potluck in midsummer, it could steal the show!
SERVES 6
1 pound boiled or roasted beets, cut into
½-inch dice
⅓ cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
½ cup yogurt cheese (see page 290)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Large bunch watercress or whole arugula leaves, chilled
In a large bowl, mix the beets, vinegar, and chives, and cover and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Strain, discarding the marinade. Place the beets back into the bowl and stir in the yogurt cheese and parsley.
Toss the beets with the chilled greens and serve.
Per serving: 53 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 83 mg sodium
BEETS AND GREENS WITH AN ORANGE REDUCTION
For beet lovers, this use of the whole plant at one time is a great joy. The orange juice combines well with the beets’ natural sweetness.
SERVES 4
1 bunch (4 large or 8 small) beet roots, boiled
or roasted (see Basic Preparation), cut into
quarters with greens
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Place the beet greens in a large skillet with the orange juice, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow boil and cook 3-4 minutes until nearly tender. Toss in the quartered beets and continue cooking, uncovered, until they are heated through and the liquid is almost gone. Season with salt and serve.
Per serving: 72 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 16 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 345 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 Vegetable
ROASTED CHIOGGIA BEETS
Peeling the beets before you cook them can be messy, so wear an apron and disposable kitchen gloves.
SERVES 4
4 medium Chioggia beets (about 2 inches in diameter)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Peel the beets and cut into 1-inch chunks.
Combine the lime juice, cardamom, honey, and oil in a small bowl. Place the beets in a 9-inch baking dish and toss with the lime juice mixture.
Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 20 minutes longer or until the beets are glazed and tender.
Per serving: 82 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 17 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 89 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable
Bok Choy
Brassica rapa var. chinesis
Until I began the garden, I had only a nodding (but still affectionate) relationship with the large-leaf, heavy, white-stalked bok choy and its miniature variety mei qing choy, which I’ve always called baby bok choy.
I had understood that bok choy, related to the Napa cabbage (see page 188), has another close relative called pe-tsai (Brassica rapa var. pekinensis), which is a small dessert-spoon-size variety, with dark green leaves that you can “cut and come again” leaf by leaf throughout the growing season.
The term cut and come again refers to leafy plants, like lettuce, chard, and mustard, that can be harvested as young leaves without pulling up the entire plant. Cuts are usually made about 2 inches above the soil level. I use a pair of scissors that I keep in a plastic box with a few antiseptic cloths to wipe the blades just in case there are any diseases that could be spread.
Bok choy and its family members did really well in my new raised beds when temperatures were relatively cool. Then suddenly (and surprisingly to many of us) it got quite hot—in the upper 80s and 90s—for a week or so, and my happy plants bolted rapidly. (So harvest the outer leaves when young for best flavor and to help avoid bolting as the days lengthen.)
I’d read that they gather up their best flavor as the days get shorter. Mine never got that chance because I’d planted them in full sun. Next time, I’ll wait until autumn to plant, and pray for a mild winter.
I especially like to use the white, tender stalk of the larger variety as a stir-fry base, since it adds a refreshing keynote that is slightly sweet. And because pe-tsai cooks so quickly, it is a splendid last-minute addition to stir-fries.
The Numbers
Bok choy has remarkable
anticancer properties, including glucosinolates and vitamins C and A.
For every 100 g raw (3.5 oz; 1 cup): 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 2 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium
Bok Choy
Annual/Cool Season
Water: Moderate and often
Sun: Part shade; 6 hours per day
Companion Planting:
PRO: Beets, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach
CON: Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers
Pests: Aphids, slugs, cabbage worm
Diseases: Yellows, black rot
Soil : Rich humus, good drainage, fertile clay loam
Fertilizer: Use good compost in autumn
pH: 6.5-7.5
Varieties: Bok choy (not cold tolerant); mei qing choy (baby size); Napa (see page 188)
Zones: 3-6
Planting: Seed ¼-inch deep, 10-12 days before first frost
Germinate: 4-10 days
Harvest: From seed, 65-70 days; from transplant, 45-50 days
Rotation: Don’t follow cabbage family
Edible: Leaves and stalks
STEAMED BABY BOK CHOY
Truly elegant in appearance, all bok choy needs is a swift spray of olive oil and absolute-last-minute cooking.
SERVES 4
4 baby bok choy (up to 5 inches long)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil cooking spray
Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise. Lay them in a large steamer and season with salt and black pepper. Steam covered for 3 minutes. Spritz with olive oil. Serve hot immediately.
