Beans for Dessert? Do the Butter Swap!

If you are someone who doesn't like to buy your beans and can them yourself then, Beans are on a crazy good sale this month!

How many times have I heard, “Well, I don't store beans because I don't like them?” To them I say, I used to be in your boat, but I learned to not only like them, I love them. Taco Soup, Southwestern Chili Beans and "regular" chili. I can name a handful of delectable delightful soups. I also love it in my Mexican foods like burritos, tacos  But what else can you do with beans?

Nutritional go-to tip that I love: You can substitute ½ the butter called for in a recipe for well-mashed beans. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, you would use ½ c (1 stick) of butter and ½ c of mushed white (northern or navy) beans. Note: you can also use pinto, they just have a stronger taste that is a little more difficult to mask or if you are making a chocolate dish like Devil's Food Cake or Brownies you can use black beans...just don't tell the eaters beforehand- or after for that matter- or they will say that they spot the difference in taste.

I first learned this from an LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint) online cookbook, but quickly discounted that it must taste horrible so I didn't believe it and didn't give it another thought. Next, odes to Deals to Meals. I have been in love with most of her recipes for a little over 2 years now and saw that she had a cookie recipe that called for beans to which I gawked and said, seriously? She is going to make me put beans in my cookies....blah. I'm cool with switching out applesauce for oil, but she suggested that I put beans in my white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I bravely trusted her suggestion and went boldly to my food processer and dumped some beans in thinking of how awful it would taste. I added it to the dough and decided I had to try the dough before I could precede. Yes, I am one of those cookie dough eaters, I'll own up to it. The thing I won't own up to is how much dough I ate! I couldn't believe how bad it didn't taste, no, how amazing it did taste. I was sold. I went forth boldly and began adding this trick into much of my cooking. Tips I've learned: I only do ½ as a substitute. If I were living strictly on food storage, of course I'd be willing to go all in, but I do notice that things are drier if I go all bean-y. Not only is this cheaper (come on, the cost of butter is $3/lb right now!) but it is also tons healthier. Just this one little switch saves you * 665 calories and a whopping 91.5 grams of fat per ½ c substituted in a recipe, not to mention that it adds almost 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. If your recipe made 2 dozen cookies that would mean you cut the cookies calories down by about 25 calories per cookie and 4 grams of fat.  Is that not the coolest trick to think about?  If you like sweets but need to cut down on your fat intake... there you go!  Now you don't have to fill your freezer with as much butter and that alone should put a smile on your face :P

On another note, Deals to Meals also has another bean recipe that my family loves, non-desserty. It is her Black Bean Enchiladas. Enjoy!


To read about other products that are currently on sale through November, they include Raspberries, Beans, Sour Cream Powder, Yogurt 6 pack, Bacon TVP, Sugar, Potato Chunks, Instant Rice and Maceroni.


Prices are 16% off for online customers or 20% off for Q Customers.  Not on the Q?  Check it out.

Pinto Beans Retail $11.69 Online Customers 10.29 Q Club Members 9.99
Kidney Beans Retail $13.59 Online Customers 11.99 Q Club Members 11.59
Black Beans Retail $14.39 Online Customers 12.69 Q Club Members 12.29

* Info retrieved from www.fatsecret.com

1/2 c Butter 814 calories 92 g fat

1/2 c Beans 149 1/2 g fat 9.65 g protein 6 g fiber