The Eagle Essentials Food Pantry hosted two graduate students for a Cooking with Canned Beans Class on November 30, free for all to attend. The class focused on educating attendants about the nutrition of beans. In addition, a cooking demonstration was performed, and free food samples from the pantry were offered.
"[The class] started with our program; it's a project we do -- almost service learning -- where we connect and have a partnership," said nutrition graduate student Amanda Lambert. "We're partnered with the food pantry on campus, and that's how it started."
Lambert and her partner nutritionist Kerri-Ann Henry served as demonstrators for the class. They are both part of the nutrition and diatetics Masters program at Southern.
"We recognize a need that some students aren't familiar with how to cook with canned beans or how to best use it," said Henry. "And we want to help fill that gap."
The two demonstrated how to cook multiple cost-effective recipes with just canned beans.
"Beans are just a great source of nutrition that can be added to lots of different things like soups and even mac and cheese," said Lambert. "You can add it in for extra protein and fiber. So there's just a lot of great recipes if you're interested."
One tip suggested by Henry for students is to be sure to add good seasoning to their beans. Seasonings such as cumin, thyme, rosemary, and adobo seasoning not only make the beans delicious but also healthy as well.
One benefit of beans is that no matter where you shop, they are some of the more affordable, cost-effective food items and are a great source of protein. This is especially important with rising food costs and tightened holiday budgets.
"One thing to keep in mind when you're buying a can of beans is just to check the best by date," Lambert said. "And one thing to note about the best by date is that you can still eat beans past this date, but their best by date on the can just shows when they have the best flavor and quality."
Enjoy an inexpensive canned bean recipe below.
Buffalo Bean Dip
Ingredients
● 8 oz cream cheese, softened
● 1/3 cup red hot sauce
● 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
● 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese until smooth.
- Add hot sauce and mix on low speed until completely mixed. Use a spatula to
occasionally scrape down the sides. - Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar and mix lightly with a spatula until combined.
- Add beans and gently fold in with spatula.
- Scrape the mixture into an oven-safe casserole dish; smooth the top with your
spatula and top with remaining shredded cheddar. - Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until set and edges are starting to brown.
- Let cool slightly before serving; serve warm with chips or veggies
Tips
Serve with tortilla chips, celery or pita chips!
Source
http://thesimplyveg.com/buffalo-white-bean-dip/
While no current plans are in the works, Eagle Essentials hopes to continue its partnership with Eagle Pantry to do more classes like these.
