National Bean Day
Discover a world of hearty goodness, as these tiny powerhouses pack a punch of protein and flavor, making every meal satisfying.
Beans are a common food around the globe and for good reason: they’re rich in fiber, protein, and can be delicious.
You might think of beans only as an ingredient in chili con carne or baked beans, but they’re not limited to these applications – in Japan, for instance, red beans are commonly used in desserts.
National Bean Day is a delightful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the delicious and healthy food that beans are!
How to Celebrate National Bean Day
Beans are one of the most versatile food items. The best day to celebrate National Bean Day would be to involve beans in all of your meals for the day, particularly in places where you wouldn’t necessarily expect them.
Enjoy Eating Beans
Start the day with a traditional full English breakfast, which includes baked beans and toast among all of the other things, then have an ordinary lunch followed by red bean ice cream or red bean mochi, and for dinner prepare some meal which involves beans – chili, black beans and rice, white bean soup, North Indian rajma, or any other bean specialty.
Learn About Different Types of Beans
There are also various Chinese sweets that also incorporate either red beans or mung beans.
That, of course, excludes things like soya beans which are used both fresh (as edamame) as well as in various sauces and condiments ranging from soya sauce to miso and various fermented condiments found throughout southeast Asia and northeast India.
Tempeh and tofu are also made from soya bean and that just goes to show how versatile and essential beans are to various cuisines worldwide.
So whether you’re indulging in a nice steamy bowl of chili or a Japanese sweet, there are numerous ways to celebrate this food on National Bean Day!
Send a Silly National Bean Day Message
Perhaps a bit surprisingly, electronic greeting card websites seem to have a lot of references to National Bean Day!
Even for those folks who don’t enjoy beans and don’t want to have anything to do with them on National Bean Day, it’s still possible to send greeting cards to your friends to mark the occasion.
History of National Bean Day
The day commemorates the death of Gregor Mendel, a Czech geneticist whose experiments with breeding pea plants formed the basis of modern genetics, who died on this date in 1884.
In addition, the day honors the father of Paula Bowen, the founder of National Bean Day. Bowen’s father was a pinto bean farmer, so she’s pretty familiar with beans and no doubt was raised on them.
Beans are also healthy and common in many cuisines throughout the world, so of course they deserve a day dedicated to them!
Bonus: Olan Recipe
To encourage everyone to celebrate National Bean Day, here’s a bean recipe to help stir up some creativity in those tastebuds:
Olan is a traditional mildly-spiced vegetarian curry that comes from the south Indian state of Kerala and it includes not just beans but also coconut milk and pumpkin. You could have it on its own with rice or even rotis, but it’s equally delicious as part of a larger meal. So here’s the recipe, it’s actually really simple to make:
- 1/2 cup dried red cowpeas (or any other red beans – there’s no reason why you couldn’t use kidney beans), soaked overnight in water
- 3 cups thin coconut milk
- 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pumpkin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 6 sliced shallots
- 6 curry leaves (you can find them in an Indian grocer, or if you can’t just leave them out if you have to)
Cook the beans in the thin coconut milk with green chillies, cumin, and salt in a medium saucepan for 25-30 minutes (until they’re soft).
Add the pumpkin and cook for another five minutes, then stir in the thick coconut milk, remove from heat, and keep aside. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, sputter, and fly all over your kitchen, add the shallots and curry leaves.
Fry until they’re light brown. Stir in the seasoned oil with the pumpkin-bean curry and it’s ready to eat. Happy National Bean Day!
National Bean Day FAQs
Why did ancient Greeks use beans in elections?
Ancient Greeks employed beans in a simple yet effective voting system. Citizens cast either black or white beans to represent yes or no votes.
Sometimes, officials were chosen by placing one white bean among many black ones in a vessel, with the person pulling the white bean winning the role.
Is there a myth about beans in Greek philosophy?
Yes, Pythagoras, the famous mathematician, strictly avoided beans. He believed they housed human souls transitioning between lives, making beans sacred and unsuitable for consumption.
Legend even claims he refused to enter a bean field to escape attackers, leading to his demise.
What’s the record for the tallest bean plant?
In 2003, Staton Rorie grew a bean plant in the U.S. that reached 46 feet 3 inches! This impressive height is equivalent to three giraffes standing end-to-end and remains a unique feat in horticulture.
How do beans influence Mexican and Peruvian cuisines?
Beans like pinto and lima have deep roots in Central and South American culture.
They were essential foods for the Aztec and Incan civilizations, providing both protein and culinary variety. Today, beans remain a staple in regional dishes such as Peruvian stews and Mexican refried beans.
What’s the connection between beans and the U.S. Senate?
The U.S. Senate’s dining hall serves navy bean soup daily, a tradition reportedly dating back to the early 1900s.
Some credit this to a senator from Idaho who loved the dish, while others say it was due to a Minnesota senator’s formal request. The tradition has endured for over a century.
Are there celebrations of Bean Day outside the United States?
While National Bean Day is mainly American, other countries have bean-related traditions.
In Japan, Setsubun (Bean-Throwing Festival) involves tossing beans to ward off evil spirits.
Italy also celebrates beans in festivals, especially around the autumn harvest, with fairs offering a variety of bean-based dishes.
How do people use beans beyond food?
Beans have been crafted into jewelry, maracas, and even used as beanbags. Some indigenous cultures have long crafted decorations and toys from beans, recognizing them as both sustainable and symbolic items.
What unusual health benefits are linked to beans?
Beans contain compounds that aid in blood sugar regulation and cholesterol reduction. They’re also rich in folate, an important nutrient for mental health.
Traditional medicine in India and China uses beans for their supposed benefits on kidney and liver health.
Why do some cultures avoid eating beans?
Beans can produce intestinal gas, leading some cultures to eat them sparingly or use specific cooking techniques to minimize discomfort. In Eastern cultures, beans are often paired with spices like cumin and ginger to ease digestion.
How many varieties of beans exist globally?
- There are over 40,000 known types of beans worldwide, but only a fraction are cultivated commercially. They range in color, size, and flavor, with some varieties, like the rare “Tiger’s Eye,” sought after by gourmet chefs for their unique appearance and taste.
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