Sauteed Fresh-From-Garden Lima Beans

Kid Rating:  (Didn't save any for them.  They'll have some from the next picking.)

Do Again?:  Most definitely!  Over and over and over.  Will have to try beans from the frozen and dried variety when the garden runs out.

I vaguely remember reluctantly trying Lima beans as a kid.  I don't recall them ever being on our family table or anyone else's table.  They seemed to be depicted on TV as a kid's worst veggie nightmare.

Well, I grew my own.  Oh, yum.  I cracked open a ready pod and started eating them there in the garden.  So good.  I collected more pods, brought them in, and had my parents and hubby try them straight out of the pod.  We stopped so I'd have enough for a recipe.

Guess what.  We are not supposed to eat them raw because of their cyanide content.  They have to be cooked for at least 10 minutes first while the cyanide is safely released and diluted into the air as a gas.  Upon further reading, I learned that different varieties of Lima beans have different levels of cyanide, and the ones offered in the United States, especially the seeds in packets for us to grow, are safe. I'm sure the FDA wouldn't allow anything harmful be sold to us.

My family and I felt fine after eating raw Lima beans, but I will be cooking them just in case.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups  Lima Beans (amount after removing from pods)

1 T            Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOL)

1 T            Salted Butter

1-2            Cloves of garlic (depending on size and preference), minced

to taste     Kosher salt

to taste     Pepper

Heat skillet, oil, and butter.

Add beans.  Stir occasionally. 15-20 min.

Add garlic, salt, and pepper.

Saute 1-2 min. longer.

An additional note about adding beans:  While taking them out of the pods, separate them into different sizes.  Cook the larger ones first, then add the next size to the skillet after about 3 minutes (and so-on).

Skins peel off the beans during cooking.  I served
them, too, and they tasted yummy and crispy.

Easy Baby Lima Beans

Kid Rating:  2 out of 3 will eat them
Do Again:  Sure

{8-31-12 Update:  I really like this other recipe (click here) but I haven't tried it on frozen Lima beans, yet.}


I tried lima beans once as a kid.  Once.  Then never again until today.  I based the recipe from allrecipes.com.  I would describe them as mashed potatoes in a bean.


In 1/2 cup serving, you get 5 g fiber, 6 g protein, 15% needed Vit.C, 8% needed iron, and 4% needed calcium.


Ingredients:
1 pound bag frozen baby lima beans, rinse
1-2 tsp butter (optional)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups of water*
1 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon* (chicken)


*sub with broth if you have it

Directions:
Melt butter in sauce pan (or use cooking spray, a different oil, or water)
Saute onions a few minutes until they begin to brown/soften

Add the water and bouillon (or broth).  Bring to a boil.           Add lima beans (and more water to just cover them if needed -- I didn't need to).                   Return to boil.                    Reduce heat to LOW.  Cover.  Simmer 30 min.

Family Review

11 y.o. -- He'll eat them (but probably not request them)

10 y.o. -- Seemed to like them.

5 y.o. -- Nope.

Hubby -- Favorable towards them.

Me -- Nice flavor.  Smooth and creamy.  The texture caught me off guard, but once I likened them to mashed potatoes, I was fine with these nutrient-packed beans.  I'll make them again to have a variety.

Cooking less my help.

The package listed 240 mg of sodium (ingredients:  beans and salt), and the bouillon also has sodium.  I didn't need to add more salt to the recipe.  If you grow your own beans, a little salt may be desired.