I recently read Beans: A History by Ken Albala and he confirmed my beliefs.

Beans have gotten the shaft. They had long been considered peasant food by aristocrats and generally folks have retained some of that prejudice against them. Yes, slowly that attitude is changing as more people learn about their health benefits.

Note, however, legumes have had a loyal following with those eating vegetarian. Lentils and other beans make an excellent substitute for meat, especially when paired with grains, nuts, seeds, eggs and dairy products making them a complete protein.

When it comes to tasty vegetarian fare, Indians do it very well. Their dal (also spelled daal, dahl) is a lentil stew that is flavorful, filling and nutritious. I've posted a recipe for a dal that can be made in 15 minutes. Comfort food fast! View the recipe and more pictures of Easy Dal.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer and a hobbyist food anthropologist. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking fun and interesting.