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My Secret to Effortless Weeknight Meals: The French Market Bean Mix

As a busy working mom, finding time to cook healthy and delicious meals can feel like a constant uphill battle. Between juggling work deadlines, school pick-ups, and keeping the house from descending into complete chaos, the last thing I want to think about when I get home is slaving over a hot stove for hours. That's why I developed my French Market Bean Mix – a simple, time-saving solution that allows me to enjoy hearty, nutritious meals without sacrificing precious time.

The idea came to me during a particularly hectic week. I was staring blankly at my fridge, completely devoid of inspiration (and almost any edible ingredients!), when I remembered a tip from my grandmother. She used to make huge batches of dried beans and store them in jars for later use. It seemed so old-fashioned at the time, but the genius of it hit me. Why not create a mix of different beans and grains, pre-portion it, and store it ready to go whenever I needed a quick and healthy meal? That's how the French Market Bean Mix was born. The name is a bit whimsical – it evokes the bustling marketplaces of France where so many culinary delights originate – but the process is surprisingly straightforward.

The beauty of this mix lies in its versatility. The combination of various beans, lentils, and barley provides a complete protein source, offering a good balance of fiber, nutrients, and complex carbohydrates. This makes it incredibly satisfying and keeps you feeling full longer. It’s also a blank canvas for flavour. I typically use it as a base for soups, stews, and chili, but it can easily be incorporated into salads, casseroles, or even as a side dish with roasted vegetables. The possibilities are endless!

Making the mix itself is a one-time effort that pays off hugely in the long run. It involves simply combining various dried beans and grains – red beans, navy beans, pinto beans, great northern beans, split peas, and so on – into a large container. Then, I divide the mixture into individual jars, keeping them on hand in my pantry for when I'm short on time or energy.

The best part? The preparation is incredibly simple. All it takes is a quick soak overnight and then a simple simmering process to create a flavorful and hearty meal. I often add ham hock for extra flavour, but you can easily leave it out for a vegetarian option or substitute with other flavourful additions like smoked sausage or bacon.

This bean mix has become a staple in our family's diet. It's a lifesaver on busy weeknights, providing a healthy and delicious meal without a huge time commitment. It's also fantastic for meal prepping. I often make a large batch on the weekend and have healthy lunches ready for the week. This approach has significantly reduced food waste in my home and provided variety for our family's meals.

Beyond the convenience, the French Market Bean Mix has unexpectedly become a source of pride for me. It's a testament to the power of planning and preparation, a simple solution to the everyday challenge of feeding a family while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's a reminder that even amidst the whirlwind of daily life, we can find ways to nurture ourselves and our families through simple, delicious, and nourishing meals. It’s a little bit of home-cooked goodness, ready at a moment's notice.

So, if you're a busy individual searching for efficient ways to enjoy wholesome meals, I highly recommend giving the French Market Bean Mix a try. It's a small investment of time that delivers significant rewards – tasty, healthy, and convenient meals that fit seamlessly into even the most demanding schedules. It's a secret weapon in my arsenal of time-saving kitchen strategies. Give it a shot, and let me know what you think!

Step-by-step

• In a very large container, combine navy beans, pinto beans, great northern beans, split peas, yellow split peas, black-eyed peas, lentils, baby limas, limas, soybeans, barley and red beans; mix well.
• Divide evenly into 14 (1 pint) lidded jars.
• Attach a card to each jar with the following recipe: ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: 2 quarts water; 1 ham hock; 1 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced.
• TO PREPARE: Soak 2 cups French Market Bean Mix in water to cover, 8 hours or overnight.
• In a large soup pot, bring 2 quarts water and ham hock to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Remove ham hock.
• Stir in soaked beans, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion and garlic.
• Bring to a boil again, skimming foam off the top.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, until beans are tender.