We tend to associate the food we like/dislike closely with how the food is usually prepared, when we usually have them, and with whom. For example, the word 'beans' leads to the images of salsa, re-fried beans, baked beans... with friends on summer afternoons, street stands, dinner at grandma's...
Great memories around food are abound, but sometimes the association also deters us from trying out ingredients in new ways - why not add beans to my morning smoothie? I used black beans, for no other reason than my mom left a bag of dried black beans with me.
Soaked overnight, boiled until soft, cooled, then kept in the fridge - 1/2 cup of dried beans lasts me about a week. Blend 2-3 tablespoons of beans, one banana, and milk. The black beans add creaminess and texture but very little flavor, if any - and that's a good thing here. The beans also ease up the sweetness from banana, which I like.
I tried substituting black beans with chickpeas, but not enough body for my taste. It added a bit of nutty flavor though. For now I'm sticking with black beans.
Korean vocab...
| black | 검정 | (guhm jung) | ||
| bean | 콩 | (kong) | ||
| black bean | 검정콩 | (guhm jung kong) |
