When I first came up with the concept of hosting a 5-day vegetarian challenge, it was right smack dab in the middle of the holidays when I was feeling very blah and found myself craving a change in my diet. I had never really thought about becoming vegetarian (especially because I really love seafood), but as I tossed the idea around in my head, and my energy continued to plummet, I figured it was worth a shot.
Making that leap was easier said than done, especially when you lack willpower like me. You see, Iām great about getting on healthy kicks. I stick with them for a few days and then move back to my same old habits. Same goes for my vegetarian stint.
Lasted for a few days but never stuck.Ā
But hereās the thing: those few days where I wasnāt eating animal proteins (aside from eggs), I felt awesome. My energy was up, my digestion was great and I was full of energy. How could I hold myself to this healthy habit and actually stick to it?Ā
Then it came to me: host a challenge!Ā
When we're all doing it together, we can hold each other accountable. And don't worry, this 5-day challenge isnāt meant to transform us all into vegetarians. Really itās just about trying something new, giving up meat for just 5 short days, and seeing how we feel.
Are you ready? I sure am!
The focus of the challengeĀ
During this challenge, weāll be focusing on making beans from scratch. Why beans? Because beans are the perfect staple for any vegetarian pantry. Even if youāre not vegetarian, Iād argue that beans should be a staple in any healthy cookās pantry.
Beans are loaded with protein and fiber and go well in almost any dish. They can be manipulated to blend with different flavors and textures, and the variety of beans that you can make is simply astounding. I did a little research and it turns out there are over 40,000 different kinds of beans! Holy smokes, isnāt that crazy!?Ā
Anyway, another thing I love about beans is that theyāre super budget friendly, especially when you buy them in bulk. On average a pound of dried beans ranges anywhere from $1.50 – $3.00, whereas organic meat can range from $12.00 – $15.00 and sometimes even higher depending on what youāre buying.
Then you compare beans with something like organic tofu or tempeh. A package, which contains 3 – 4 servings, costs $3.00 – $5.00. Again, for the amount of food that one pound of beans will make is much larger and more wallet-friendly than almost any other source of protein available on the market today.
But hereās the thing that Iāve found, a lot of people are āscaredā of making beans at home. Theyāre unsure of how to properly prepare them or just end up buying canned beans for convenience. I was totally one of those people as well until I realized that making your own beans is crazy easy!
How to Make Beans from Scratch
Iām just going to give you a quick snapshot of how to make your own beans from scratch. And when weāre done youāll see thereās a link to a great guide that the wonderful Kris Carr that shows you the various timing for different beans.
Step 1: Give them a little rinse
Itās always safe to give your beans a little rinse before their soak. You just want to wash off any dust or dirt particles that may be lingering around (after all they do come from the earth!) so thereās no grittiness or yuckiness when you go to cook them.Ā
Step 2: Let them soak
Depending on the variety youāre using, youāll want to soak your beans for at least 8 hours. Most beans need soaking, but some varieties like lentils, split peas and chana dal donāt. For the varieties that do need to soak, I highly recommend that you add a Ā½ā piece of kombu into the liquid. The kombu will help reduce the phytic acid in the beans which will help to ensure they donāt give you an upset tummy (or make you gassy). Plus soaking makes the cooking process faster too!
Step 3: Boil them until tender
Next step is to cook your beans. You just add your beans to the pot with some cold water, bring the water to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cooking times vary, so check out Krisās graphic which explains it nicely. Your beans are done with theyāre tender, but the skins are still in tact. Then just drain them of their liquid and use them however youād like!
CLICK HERE FOR A BEAN COOKING CHART
See how easy that is? Making beans from scratch is such a great option for those of us who are exploring the vegetarian lifestyle (even if just for 5 days!).Ā
The 5-Day Vegetarian Challenge
And now letās talk about the challenge!
Over the course of the next five days, I challenge you, well ALL of us (including me) to give up meat for 5 days. Iām hosting this challenge with my wonderful friends at Bobās Red Mill who have practically every single type of bean you can imagine. Theyāre even going to giveaway a huge prize pack, so make sure to enter below!
Starting tomorrow (Monday!), Iāll be sharing one brand new recipe each day, all 100% vegetarian, all containing dried beans and all totally delish. Hereās a list of what to expect:
Monday: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Tuesday: Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Wednesday: Easy Chana Dal with Quinoa-Coconut Pancakes
Thursday: Warm Lentil & Mushroom Quinoa Bowls
Friday: Rustic Tuscan Pasta with White Beans
So as you can tell, thereās LOTS to look forward to – we certainly arenāt going to go hungry š You can also access the full meal plan here at any time during the week.
Iām really looking forward to starting the challenge with all of you. Make sure to check in on each post along the way – let us know how youāre doing, how youāre feeling, etc. – and use the hashtag #SQchallenge for any posts you share on social media. Iāll be checking in throughout the week so you can see how Iām doing too.
And of course, any questions along the way? Please email me! alyssa@simplyquinoa.com
Now, letās do this!!