Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

Happy Meatless Monday. I have a  unique spread recipe to share with you. Created from fava beans, it is nutty, as green as a crayon and insanely good for you.

Over the weekend I found fresh fava beans at the market. I had never purchased or eaten them before so I went for it. The farmer told me that I would need to take the beans out of their shell and then out of a secondary casing to enjoy them. Sounds like a high maintenance meal but I’ll work for food.

So last night I sat at the kitchen table gently removing my favas from their hulking green shell. It was a labor of love. It felt the same way shucking corn feels, grounded in tradition like cooking slow food for your ancestors. I then put them in a steamer basket and steamed them for approx 4 minutes, until they became wrinkly.

I quickly threw them  into an ice bath to halt their cooking. Then, I needed to extricate the actual bean from its wrinkly, waxy casing. This was done by pinching it out with my nail. The brilliantly green bean didn’t pop right out as much as it struggled to stay intact and then crumbled into several pieces.

At this point I was thinking….favas, you are dead to me, this is ridiculous. I considered chucking the entire collander into the trash but thought better of it and finished pinching.  I was left with one cup of cooked  beans. Clearly, I was mad at them so I threw them in the food processor. That will teach ’em. I added garlic, parsley from my garden, Tamari and  lemon juice. Blend, blend, I hate you time-sucking favas.

What I was left with was the most amazingly green, alive and delicious spread I have ever seen. Seriously?  We dipped peppers in it, spread it on crackers and ate it with Kalamata olives. We had it for dinner. It was healing, artery scrubbing and divine. I guess it really was a labor of… I love myself enough to take the time to prepare something healthful and unique. It didn’t really take that long and the steps were easy. Now that I know at least one way to prepare them, I look forward to the next time I spy fresh favas at the market so I can do it all again.

Lemon & Parsley Fava Spread

by: S. Duquet

Ingredients

1 C cooked Fava beans (removed from their  outer & inner casings)

1/4 tsp Tamari or low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp water

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 C fresh parsley

1 clove of garlic

Make it Happen

~Blend all ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth.

~Enjoy with fresh veggies, crackers, tortilla chips or crusty bread. Can also be used as a sandwich or bagel spread.

Here is a link to step by step instructions for cooking your Fava beans before you make them into a spread.

Have a delicious day.

Tags: compassionate eating, dairy free, dairy free recipes, Engine 2 friendly recipes, lemon and parsley fava bean spread, Meatless Monday recipe, meatless monday snack, oil free recipe, plant based diet, plant strong recipe, vegan appetizer, vegan snack recipe, vegan wannabe