For the beans
If you are using dried beans, you should first soak the beans in water overnight.
Peel the onion(s) and celery. Fill a saucepan with water. Add the beans, onion(s), and celery and cook for approximately 30 minutes until tender.
For the fried potatoes
Meanwhile, peel and wash the potatoes and cut into slices that are not too thick and mostly the same size. Peel and dice the sweet onion(s).
Melt the “vegan margarine” in a skillet and then add the potatoes. While continuously stirring, fry them on high heat until they are a light brown color. Then reduce the heat, add the diced onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and steam the fried potatoes for approximately 20–25 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally.
The author Kirsten M. Mulach recommends the brand of margarine Alsan because it doesn’t contain any soy or soy products. You can also buy organic Alsan margarine. The main ingredient it contains is coconut oil. In the United States, Earth Balance is a popular brand of vegan margarine.
For the apple and pear mixture
In the meantime, peel, quarter, and core the pears and apples. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and blanch the apples. Add the pears shortly before draining.
Drain the soft beans and apple and pear mixture and then combine. Place a large scoop in the center of each bowl and arrange the fried potatoes in a circle around the mixture.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
For this dish, the beans are first soaked in water overnight. In the cookbook, you will find a dandelion salad that complements the recipe well.
Note about the serving size: The recipe in the book makes 2–3 servings. We have adapted the recipe for three servings because the beans and 125 g margarine (vegan butter) contain quite a bit of fat and protein. Even after the changes, you are still getting a rather large serving. This was understandable back in our grandparents’ time, but obesity was not the issue then that it is today. This is the perfect recipe for vegans who want to gain weight or eat something hearty without having to resort to imitation products made from soy or other ingredients.
Tips
Cooking beans properly: In order to improve the taste, you should add a little salt and cook the beans just below the boiling point. If you want to have soft beans, make sure that the water doesnʼt come to a full boil during the cooking process. Cooking beans without salt leaves them tasting rather bland, but a little salt can make a big difference. But if the beans are being used as an ingredient in a main dish, then you usually donʼt need to salt them as the other ingredients in the recipe will provide salt and flavor.
