4.25

4

Jul 10, 2013

Allow me to introduce to you two important works in the highly niche genre of bean cookbooks: Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon and Spilling the Beans by Julie Van Rosendaal.

Both books are a good 3/4-inch thick and contain enough bean recipes to keep a dedicated cook knee-deep in trying out new bean recipes for several months.

Bean by Bean is a textbook on all things bean. No photos. Most recipes feature beans as the centerpiece. The reader is encouraged to start with the bean in dried form. Allow me to introduce to you two important works in the highly niche genre of bean cookbooks: Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon and Spilling the Beans by Julie Van Rosendaal.

Both books are a good 3/4-inch thick and contain enough bean recipes to keep a dedicated cook knee-deep in trying out new bean recipes for several months.

Bean by Bean is a textbook on all things bean. No photos. Most recipes feature beans as the centerpiece. The reader is encouraged to start with the bean in dried form. And Bean by Bean has been created as a particular resource for those with dietary restrictions, (recipes are coded as vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten-free for at-a-glance browsing). Any time meat is included in a recipe, it is done so almost apologetically.

Spilling the Beans, on the other hand, comes across less like a textbook, and more like an issue of "Real Simple" magazine, highlighting many recipes using full-page photos. All recipes are written assuming the reader will be using canned beans. And beans are sometimes a more subtle element in several of the dishes. Think Deceptively Delicious, except, with beans instead of veggies. We're talking pureed beans in our pancake batter, folks. Spilling the Beans takes a more traditional approach in balancing meat vs. vegetarian. No effort is made to highlight recipes for vegans or gluten-free eaters, though they do exist.

For all you WIC mommas out there, looking to use up 16 cans of beans each month, I highly recommend both of these books. However, hands-down, Spilling the Beans wins the "Bean-Book-That-Jen-Will-Purchase-in-2013" Award. Aside from wooing me with its attractive photos and quickie canned-bean appeal, the clincher was an entire chapter on Baked Goods. Black Bean Brownies, here I come!

--Jen ...more

5

Dec 23, 2012

There are at least a few beans recipes for everyone in this book, and for me there were so many I wanted to try that I decided to buy it after having it for weeks from the library. The recipes are very diverse, some with meat, some without, some with veggies, some without.

Even desserts, which I don't think I'll ever try but who knows? I've already changed my mashed potatoes recipe to a mashed white bean / potatoes recipe from this cookbook because I loved it. I'd never had bet on that.

4

Mar 08, 2012

Great book (especially with Lent upon us) but every other ding dang recipe is drowning in parsley or cilantro.

NO THANK YOU.


I did learn a lot of ways of sneaking beans into a lot of recipes which was great but had to learn to flavour things with the lack of parsley or cilantro which sets off my IBD.

5

Jan 30, 2014

Have you ever found a cookbook that you actually used on a regular basis? This might be the one. This is the most-used cookbook on my shelf and my hands-down favourite. There's not a bad recipe in there. Beans are economical, nutritious, and a great way to add fibre to your diet. The deserts are the best - try the Citrus-Bliss Pound Cake. You won't regret it.

3

Feb 11, 2013

A good book but not enough stand-out recipes and many, many variations on recipes you've seen 100 other places. If I wanted to "sneak" legumes into more of my baking I would probably be more interested.

5

Oct 04, 2012

For anyone who wishes to eat healthier, who would like to eat beans in delicious meals (including breakfast!), for those want to save some money and still eat well, and for the experienced as well as beginner (me!) cook.

The book is beautifully illustrated with easy to follow directions.

4

Jan 15, 2014

From the library. Very good recipes, made the upside-down pear gingerbread. Many good ideas for incorporating beans into baked goods.

2

Jan 14, 2013

Why call a book devoted to grain-based recipes "Spilling the Beans"? Recipes were what you'd expect to find.