12-Bean Soup Mix, and 12-Bean Soup Recipe, and 12-Bean Soup Mix for Gifts

About 4 years ago, I bought 3 to 5 pounds each of about 12 different organic beans and barley, and mixed up my own bean soup mix. We ended up with tons of it – 65 pounds in fact! I still have about 5 cups left of the mix in my kitchen. I gave lots of bean soup mixes for Christmas that year and they were well received.

This year, a friend asked me about making and sharing a mix of the beans. I thought the sharing was a great idea, because I don’t have room or desire for another 65 pounds of bean soup mix! So I sent out an email to the group of local people who participate in my every-other-month-ordering from Hummingbird Wholesale in Eugene (bulk natural food warehouse). A half dozen people are interested in splitting the bean soup mix. That’s great with me!

The reason I believe mixing the beans ourselves is preferable to purchasing a mix is because we can ensure getting a great variety of all organic beans. The mixes available through Azure Standard are either: a big variety of beans, but they’re conventional beans; or a small variety of organic beans. No mix offers both variety and organic.

With enough people interested, I went ahead and ordered 12 different beans, 5 pounds each, from Azure Standard: adzuki, black, chana dal (small garbanzo), great northern, kidney, pink, pinto, red, navy, yellow split pea, green split pea, and lentil. Due to allergies among the group, I will not be including soybeans or barley. The per pound price turned out to be $1.41. I don’t know yet if all the beans will come in until the order arrives next week.

If this interests you, I’d suggest you consider asking around to see if any of your friends or family would like to go in on the mix with you. It is a great thing to do with a group, but if you can’t find anyone to share the mix, do it small-scale. Go to your local natural food store and from the bulk bins, purchase just one pound of each of any beans you wish to include. Then mix those together for your own manageable size soup mix.

Here’s my recipe for making soup from the bean soup mix. It is so delicious! Everyone I know who’s tried it, loves it.

12-Bean Soup

• 3 cups of 12 Bean Soup Mix
• 2 quarts water or stock
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion or 2 t onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• salt & pepper to taste

Place beans in a large stockpot. Cover with water & soak overnight. Drain the beans. Add water or vegetable stock. Add the seasonings (except salt & pepper) and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Options:

1) Add brown rice during the last hour of simmering, or serve over warm brown rice.

2) If you’re not allergic to barley or another gluten-grain such as wheat or kamut or spelt, add about 1/3 cup of any of those whole, uncooked berries to the soaking and proceed with the recipe as directed.

3) Add one pound of grass-fed beef stew meat to cook along with the beans (don’t add during the soak).

Crockpot Method

Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in crockpot with all ingredients except salt & pepper. Cook on low 8 hours or until beans are tender. Salt & pepper to taste.

Options:

1) Serve over cooked brown rice.

2) If you’re not allergic to barley or another gluten-grain such as wheat or kamut or spelt, add about 1/3 cup of any of those whole, uncooked berries to the soaking and proceed with the recipe as directed.

3) Add one pound of grass-fed beef stew meat to cook along with the beans (don’t add during the soak).

© Copyright 2008 by Wardeh Harmon of gnowfglins.com.

To Give the Mix Away as Gift

You will supply the beans, the seasonings and the directions. The recipient will supply the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and meat (if using).

In a quart size jar, put 3 cups of the bean soup mix. You may also add 1/3 cup of barley, or other whole grain berry, to the bean soup mix. Put all the seasonings in a little baggie. Add it to the jar.

Cut and paste the recipe text into a text editor. Please include my name and website (© 2008-2009 Copyright Wardeh Harmon of gnowfglins.com). Print out a copy of the recipe.

Decorate the top of the jar with fabric and/or ribbon, attaching the recipe to the jar by hole punching the corner of the recipe and threading the ribbon through the hole before typing around the jar.

Alternative method: Sew a fabric bag (use sturdy and flexible fabric, about 6 x 10 inches) and use that instead of the jar. Put the beans in the fabric bag. Add the baggie of seasonings. Tie the bag closed with a twist-tie and then cover that with the ribbon, which is also threaded through the recipe’s hole punch.