Carolyn VandeWiele
Guest columnist
When I was a kid we had a game that involved moving dried beans around the pits of a wooden board with the objective of capturing as many as you could by the end of the competition. I can’t remember the exact rules, or even the name, but I do remember the beans that came with our version beautiful variegations of brown, green, red and white.
Eventually, of course, I had to stop playing with my food and learn to cook it.
Beans have been around for a long time. First domesticated more than 7,000 years ago in Peru and southern Mexico, they’ve been a basic food item and an important source of protein throughout Old and New World history. They’re rich in important micronutrients, high in protein, and, unlike corn, provide significant amounts of the indispensable amino acid lysine. Rich in total and soluble fiber as well as resistant starches, they have a low glycemic index, help reduce bad cholesterol and contain potent antioxidants. Combine