Using Pulses Make Cheap vegetarian meals

Reduce your grocery bill by using chickpeas that lentils, red kidney beans and cannellini beans prepare easy, tasty and healthy food. 

As anyone who has grocery shopping will be aware that meat can account for a large part of the bill. By simply having a few vegetarian meals each week, such costs may be reduced significantly. Plus, there's no time defrost and chopping up meat, and no worries about separate cutting boards and knives! 

At first it may be repulsive cooking without meat, as is often the focus of a dish. However, pulses which lenses can chickpeas, red kidney beans and cannellini beans used in a similar manner. These can generally be purchased in either dried or canned form. 

Brown lentils and split red lentils 

Lentils are a versatile pulse, full of protein and fiber, The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook calls them a 'full meal. "There are many different kinds, but this article will focus on two. 

Brown lentils are the most common form, they hold their shape fairly well, but can get mushy if cooked too long. Therefore, this is a good kind of lens to add to a lasagne, pasta bake. Go Healthy Food Guide website for more ideas. 

Split red lentils are often found in dried form in bulk bins in supermarkets. Because they are very soft when cooked (about ten minutes), they were fantastic in soups. Add some stocks, spices and potatoes or carrots, a voila! Check out this soup recipe. 

Lentils are also used in Dhal, and can be added to mince meals to make them go further. 

Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans 

According to The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, these pulses dietary fiber, protein, iron, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and potassium. If the chickpeas should be cooked from dried stovetop, they must be soaked overnight first, and then take about 0:59-and-a-half hours. However, they can be cooked in four to five hours on high in a Crockpot without soaking. Be sure not to salt chickpeas until about halfway through cooking, or they can not bleed. 

Try a stir fry with cooked or canned chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, soy sauce, peanut oil and garlic. Chickpeas are also perfect for curries, add some vegetables, a can of coconut milk and about two tablespoons of the following: curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar and peanut butter. 

Fans of hummus can make a cup of cooked chickpeas in food processor, with about three tablespoons of peanut butter, one cup of cooked pumpkin, Kumara (sweet potato) or carrot and a teaspoon of sweet chili sauce or spices as cumin and coriander. 

Red kidney beans 

These beans provide lots of carbohydrate power with little fat and are perfect for a Mexican-inspired dishes. Try adding some fresh or canned tomatoes finely chopped vegetables and spices as chili, pepper and cumin and served with brown rice. Or make a vegetarian burrito. People who normally makes mince nachos can try to replace the mince with red kidney beans, some chopped carrots and courgettes. 

Cannellini Beans 

Ausbrooks of wisegeek.com describes cannellini beans as having a "smooth texture and nutty flavor", pointing out that they are a valuable source of iron, magnesium and folate. Healthy Food Guide recommends mashing them with potatoes. 

Use them in a rice salad with soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, some chopped nuts, carrot and celery, or add to a green salad. Cannellini beans are going well in a pasta dish with a touch of balsamic vinegar, Dijon or wholegrain mustard and lemon juice or a White Bean And Soup escarole. 

Use the beans will not only make meals cheaper and healthier, but will also make more dietary variety.