An Ode to Beans

and why Dawn Power Wash does, in fact, work better than regular

Beans have always been — and will continue to be — there for me. I’m convinced they’re the most underrated ingredient in the kitchen. Their consumption fits within (nearly) every dietary restriction; you can dress ‘em up or down, hot or cold, main dish or side. In canned or dry form, they’re both affordable and shelf stable: I don’t think it’s possible to have TOO MANY beans on hand. For those who are skeptical, who may think beans are BORING or what the hell do I do with 12 cans of chickpeas?? I hope you’re more open to this magical fruit by the end of this letter.

Top 5 Ways to Eat Beans

1. Hummus

Did you know it’s insanely easy to make if you have a blender (or immersion blender)??? For the quickest, creamiest hummus, here’s what you do:

• Empty a can of chickpeas WITH its liquid in a microwave safe container. Add 1-2 cloves of garlic. Microwave for 5 minutes.

• Dump the hot beans, bean liquid, and garlic in a blender. Add 1/4-1/3 cup of tahini, squeeze of lemon, pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.

• Taste to see if you need more salt, tahini, or lemon. Add an ice cube. Blend again for the best result, and ENJOY.

2. Beans ‘n Greens

THIS IS A LUNCH TIME GAME CHANGER. I’ve touched on this before, but I’ve found an even easier option in Heyday Canning Co. It’s as simple as dumping in a pan, adding whatever greens you have on hand, maybe topping with a fried egg, and voila! A fully satisfying $5(ish) lunch.

The Kimchi Sesame Navy Beans were good, but I’m VERY eager to try the Harissa Lemon Chickpeas, if only my local grocer would stock them!!!

3. Curried Chickpeas

This is a staple in my home because it’s a great “fridge dump” recipe, meaning: dump all your wilty veg in the sauce, and it will be magically delicious. Below you’ll find the basic recipe formula, but it is completely riffable. There are just 3 things I ask that you do not skip: 1) Bloom your spices in the hot oil before adding your liquid 2) Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly 3) Taste as you go - don’t be afraid of making adjustments!!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas

• 1 can of coconut milk

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• Kosher salt

• 1 diced onion

• Fresh garlic (measure with your heart)

• Fresh ginger (measure with your heart)

• Ground curry powder 3/4 tbpsn

• Crushed red pepper flakes

• Ground cumin 1/2

• Ground turmeric

• Miso paste (or bouillon)

• Lemon or lime

• Black pepper

1. Heat large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over med/high. Add coconut oil and diced onion. Season with a pinch of salt.

2. After a couple minutes, add garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.

3. While garlic and ginger are cooking, thoroughly rinse a can of chickpeas. Add to pan. Season with a pinch of salt. Note: This is also where you’d add heartier veg such as carrots, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, etc.

4. In a liquid measuring cup, combine miso paste with 1/2 cup warm water. Mix until fully incorporated. Set aside.

5. After a couple of minutes (or until you see brown bits form) add your spices to the pan. This blooms them and allows the flavor to fully come through. Mix quickly so that the beans are coated with spices.

6. Pour miso/water mixture into pan, making sure you mix and scrape up the brown bits that have formed at the bottom. Once incorporated, add coconut milk.

7. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer (this looks like smaller bubbles at the edges and lots of steam coming out of the pan). Taste to see if it needs any additional spices. Simmer until veggies are cooked through.

8. Serve with rice and wedge of lemon or lime.

4. Brothy Beans

I just need to say - it tastes better than it looks. A good bean broth is HEAVEN. If you want slightly more pizazz, Carla Lalli’s Brothy Basil Beans is worth a shot.

5. Quick Refried Black Beans

Since the cost of 1 bean and cheese burrito doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for most delivery apps (and I’d rather not pay $15 in fees), I’ve often been forced to make refried beans myself. See below:

1. Combine finely diced onion (about 1/2 an onion) and fresh garlic into a pan with more butter than you think is necessary. If you happen to have lard or any other rendered animal fat on hand, that’s even better, and can be used instead of butter.

2. Season with salt and a little bit of ground cumin. Bloom the spices for a minute before adding rinsed black beans.

3. Let the beans cook for a couple of minutes, breaking them down as they go until they reach your desired consistency (you can add a little water or bone broth if they get too thick).

4. Taste for seasoning. Finish with a few dashes of Tapatio.

**bonus favorite bean, Beanie Feldstein**

Did you see her wedding?????

Now that you’ve made a bunch of beans, you should probably use Dawn Power Wash to do the dishes.

Why though??? I’ve had this question stuck in my mind for quite some time. Does this product ACTUALLY work better than its counterpart, or is it just more fun to spray the dishes? Turns out, there is a difference, and TikTok has the answer.

Cheers! Mary