Beans: Brothy and Marinated

Beans, Beans, The magical Fruit….

Listen, I’ve been avoiding beans for a majority of my life. To me they have no taste, and typically a less than appealing texture. But during this quarantine period, I did some reading from Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen and decided to give beans another chance - my way. Below is my first success story of flavorful brothy beans and a riff on them for a marinated cold bean condiment option. Both are delicious and I ate them all within three days. Let me know what your favorite ways to eat beans are!

Let them eat cake

I saw this cake on Instagram and could not stop thinking about it. Then I realized, “Hey, I could probably make this!” So I did. Hangry husband forgot the funfetti cake mix on the grocery list, so I adapted this recipe from Tasty and made my own! Separating the marshmallows from the grain cereal in the Lucky Charms is a fun activity for your spouse or your children and the reaction from this cake is sure to bring smiles and laughter. I presented my nephew with this colorful creation for this eighth birthday and his eyes were aglow, his toothless smile wide. I hope you and your families enjoy it as much as we did.

The Longer it Sits, the better it gets!

Just because we’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy seasonal eats! Most farmers markets are still open, and you can even source directly from some farms in the area. Check out Future Harvest’s interactive map of both options here. The markets are practicing safety by enforcing social distancing in lines and picking the items for customers instead of the serve yourself method. Grab some spring things and make a big bowl of this pasta salad to have for lunch during the week, which gets even better the longer it hangs out in the fridge!