The Beans and Grains Bible
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley June 11, 2016
Author Emma Borghesi
Distributor: New South Books
ISBN: 9781626864375
Publisher: Emma Borghesi
Release Date: March 2016
Website: http://www.newsouthbooks.com.au
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With the wintertime coming on and the desire to eat hearty, warming meals that are not going to add to the weight gains so often experienced in the colder moths, it I perhaps time to have good look at beans and grains and the best way to use them in our daily lives, mostly to present a warm nourishing meal with the added bonus of being very cost effective.
If you are a vegan or vegetarian this is a bit like preaching to the converted as you already have a thorough understanding of the benefits of these foods in your daily diets, but if you are not and desire a change, are prepared to experiment, save some money and discover you are feeling a lot healthier, this is the book for you.
Right from the first chapter Borghesi sets about curing you of the many myths and legends that surround these humble staples which is both entertaining and easy to understand. She addresses the issue that life without read meat is bad for you, as well as guides you through the minefield of misunderstanding and confusion that surrounds beans and grains and your daily diet.
With people becoming more conscious of what they eat and where foods are grown, how they are grown and presented to the buyer, perhaps now is the time to take a serious look at these not so simple items that can be grown in your home garden to some extent, with a little effort.
There is a wonderful chapter on Bean, Grains and Nutrition which offers a comprehensive understanding of why these staples are so important in our diet and addresses such issues as essential nutrients, protein, amino acids, carbohydrates and dietary fibre; issues we are all too familiar with in today’s world of ‘quick fix diets’ for this and that condition or weight loss scheme.
But moving on to the serious sections of the book we begin with ‘going with the grains’, beginning with an introduction and then detailing all the readily available ‘modern’ grains starting with Barley and ending with Wild Rice. Ancient grains, Pseudo grains, New Pseudo grains and to conclude the section a very informative section on Flour Alternatives makes understanding these foods simple and easy.
Beans are dealt with in the same manner, detailing each type, giving their history, usage, fast facts, and eating options. Do make sure you look at the ‘The Exceptions’ component as it fascinating: did you know Alfalpha is used in folk medicine, Mesquite pods and seed can be ground to produce a simple flour and the most nutritious segment of the Tamarind is thrown away with only the pulp used.
To complete this incredibly informative presentation on your new additions to your pantry, there are some wonderful meal plans and recipes to encourage you to experience and experiment, along with some important notes and a great glossary.