Legumes and Pulses

Sonya Muhlsimmer

Chick peas, dried peas, soy grits, red lentils and peanuts. Just some of the legumes/pulses I have in my pantry.Sonya Muhlsimmer

Do you know what legumes and pulses are? Legumes are the plants whose fruit or seed is enclosed in a pod, hence a certain plant family. Pulses are a part of the legume family, and are referred to as the dried seed of the legumes.

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So, I bet you have all eaten peas, baked beans, nachos (with those kidney beans in it), soy sauce, peanut butter and even hummus at some stage right. What about lentils? Maybe not as much, right? Do I hear some of you say lentils are only for those, um, vegetarians? Well, fear not of the humble pulses. They are for everyone.

Pulses are known to contain about twice the amount of protein found in whole grain cereal. Protein helps our body recover after a hard day out on the track. Pulses are also a good source of iron, which is needed for oxygen transfer through the body. Pulses are also a good source of complex carbohydrates with a low GI. This is where your energy comes from. And lastly they are

packed full of micronutrients, calcium and B vitamins. Oh I nearly forgot, they are gluten free too.

By the way, did you know that 2016 has been declared the International year of pulses? I just found out recently. Some organisations are asking people around the world to make a pledge to increasing pulses in the diet. Your physician will confirm that having a pulse is good.

Why is there a year dedicated to the legumes and why should you increase your legume intake? They are so good for you, read on. You don’t need to be a vegetarian to eat good food like this. Here are two recipes that can help with your pledge.

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Chickpeas have all the good nutritional stuff as mentioned before, and they are very versatile. Chickpeas can be made in hummus, falafels, added to curries or made in to patties. Yum, there is so much good food to choose from here. Apart from having a hard time choosing what to eat, at least you will know your health will benefit from eating pulses. Scientific studies have shown that eating chickpeas, and other pulses can result in better satiety (that is you will feel fuller for longer) good bowel health, can also lower cholesterol and could lower the risk of cancer. My pledge is to spread the word on the humble pulse, and to eat more. What will your pledge be? Just a hint with these patties, cook these up the night before and have them for lunch. Also, the best way to eat these is in a wrap or mountain bread with tabouleh.

At home preparationLabel the bags and place all ingredients into the allocated bag and container. Copy or print out Method at camp and keep together with the bag.

Method at campPlace the contents of the pattie mix bag into a bowl. Slowly add 1/3 cup of water, stirring through to make a paste. Place oil in the pan and put over a low heat.

With a spoon scoop out a heaped Tbsp and add it to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip over when the underside is golden brown and flatten down with a spoon. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the pattie is firm to touch. Serve.

Bag 1 (pattie mix)

Container

Water - 1/3 cup

Meat option (Bag 1)

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Lentils, soy grits and peas are all in this dish. It is a mighty soup. Mighty as it is not only tasty, easy to make but it is so good for you too. By the way, if you are after a gluten free version of this recipe, just check the beef jerky as some brands contain wheat.

At Home PreparationChop the mixed peel as fine as you can. Label the bags and place all ingredients into the allocated bags and container. Copy or print out Method at camp and keep together with the bags.

Method at CampIIn a bowl add ½ cup of water to cover the lentils (Bag 1), leave to soak for a minimum of 15 minutes. Discard the water and then add another ½ cup of water and let soak for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a pot add 2 cups of water and add the contents of Bag 2 (vegetable mix) the sun dried tomato and beef jerky. Soak the vegetables for about 10 mins. After the soaking time, add to the pot with the vegetables to the stove, bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain the lentils and add them to the pot, cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

HintsSoaking the lentils for as long as possible helps remove dirt, minimises cooking time and removes some complex sugars that can produce flatulence. The more soaking and changing the rinse water, the better it is.

Vegetarian option