DR. SARAH L. SJOVOLD, B.Sc., N.D.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
www.drsjovold.com
How to Prepare Legumes
1) Place 2 cups of legumes in a large bowl with warm water and
2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
2) Soak for 7-24 hours depending on the size of the bean.
**large beans 12-24 hours; small beans and lentils: 7-9 hours
3) Pour off the soak water and place in a pot covered with a large amount of water.
4) Bring to a rolling boil.
**large beans: 15-20 mins; small beans: 10 mins;
lentils and split peas: 5 mins
5) Skim off the foam (this is called “skimming off the flatulence”).
6) Turn the temperature down, cover, and simmer until beans are soft. Check
occasionally and add more water if necessary.
**large beans (4-8 hours); small beans (1-3 hours); lentils and split
peas (1/2 – 3 hours)
7) Once legumes are soft, add unrefined, Celtic sea salt, and desired spices.
**do not add salt too early because it will prevent the legumes from
becoming soft
8) Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and the freezer for up to 6 months.
Large Beans:








kidney beans
black beans
chickpeas *
lima beans
pinto beans
white beans
Small Beans:





mung beans
aduki beans
black-eyed peas
lentils
split peas
navy beans
soy beans
*soak for 24 hours
Why do legumes need to be prepared properly?
1) Legumes contain antinutrients and enzyme inhibitors…
o both block your body’s absorption of the important nutrients present in
the legume
2) Legumes are difficult to digest…
o they contain long carbohydrate and protein chains that need to be broken
down, these long chains can strain the digestive system
DR. SARAH L. SJOVOLD, B.Sc., N.D.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
www.drsjovold.com
To help the above problems:
1) Legumes need to be soaked
o soaking neutralizes antinutrients and enzyme inhibitors, and makes the
nutrients in the legumes easier to absorb
o soaking also helps break down the long carbohydrate and protein chains
so that they are partially predigested, taking the strain off the digestive
system (AND reducing gas!!)
Extra Suggestions:





to enhance their nutritional value, legumes are best paired with an animal food
(e.g. lentils + yogurt, or mung beans cooked in chicken stock)
legumes go very well with some kind of fat (ex. stir some organic butter into
cooked black beans or sauté onions, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper in
olive oil and then stir into lentils)
adding spice to legumes while simmering will increase their digestibility (ex.
garlic, ginger, Bay leaf, turmeric, cumin, coriander seed, fennel seed, cinnamon,
etc.)
add the leafy spices (ie. oregano, thyme, parsley, basil) when the legumes are
nearly finished simmering
a tasty and healthy idea is to sauté some spices and onion in organic butter
and/or olive oil on a low temperature and then add them to cooked legumes