Beans and Peas as Frugal Cocktail Foods Cooking 101 Strategies Nutrition Etiquette and Frugal Stylish Recipes Professional & University Dining Etiquette

Outclass the Competition
by Harold Almon baesoe.com
Be at Ease School of Etiquette Austin 

Plants belonging to the pea family are called Legumes Lehy-yoom or Lih –gyoom) Coffee snacks and Cocktail food can be made of legumes: beans and peas. Suggestions are

Adzuki Beans

Black Beans 1c 15gf (*R)

Black Eye Peas (BEPs) even canned these can be turned into

Texas Caviar What to do combine
Black eye peas
Red Onion
Bell Pepper and
Italian Dressing and marinate and refrigerate it. And watch them dig for gold. You may use

Garbanzo Beans and Tahini and make Hummus; in case you missed the instructions for making it. What to do: put
1 cup Garbanzo Beans
3-4 Tablespoons Tahini in a small inexpensive mini food chopper, with maybe a pinch of salt and mix for a full five minutes, and you get Hummus. You can stop here or add
½ Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
½ Tablespoon Garlic, ¾ teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon Cumin – and you have got Hummus Plus. You may add a tad or two (up to a cup) of water to it.

Want more take the recipe and double it more or less. Place in serving bowl. Optionally, you can create a shallow well in the center and add (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well and garnish with paprika or parsley. You may refrigerate this for 2-3 days.

Yes you can retain your frugalness and still buy the Tahini; it will pay for itself. You can make

Black Bean Hummus
Lentil Bean Hummus or
Refried Bean Hummus  What to do:

Refried Beans can be purchased pre-made in a can. Place beans in chopper and mix for three to five minutes. Add Tahini to your Refried Bean dip and blend and you get a new version of Hummus.o

Black Bean-Dip w/o Tahini or

Pinto Re-fried beans: you could open a can of refried beans for a snack or make a Re-fried Bean Dip What to do: Get

Refried Beans purchased pre-made in a can. Place beans in chopper and mix for three to five minutes. Add spices and peppers as you like, and you get Bean Dip, or Re-fried Bean Dip Spiced.

Make bagels and bean dip or bagels and hummus dip. Both can be topped off or dressed up. Add pita bread cut in squares and used as a chip; a legume and a grain make a complete protein; this can be as frugal as it gets.

Peanuts may be served as a cocktail snack (R). Note:  peanuts are legumes, but you just look for them to be among the nuts. You can fill the need for these with Peanut butter. Natural peanut butter can be stored top side down. Chunky or Creamy Honey Roasted Peanut Butter can be used alone or as a base for an open face peanut butter and bagel, bread, or crisp sandwich. Each can be topped with organic apples, bananas, peaches, pears, or strawberries. Honey roasted peanut butter may go on a grain chip, cracker, pretzel, or on celery as a cocktail food or snack.   It can be topped with nuts or seeds. I have not tried it yet on a carrot. 

Mini bagels with Peanut butter and fruit: apple slices, bananas, and or raisins can make a snack.

You could make Peanut Butter (low fat) Yogurt Dip to be used as a fruit dip, especially for sliced fruit.  For each of these you can get a proper dipper. 

What to do:  Combine

6 oz of yogurt plain Greek yogurt (with live and active cultures)

3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter and optionally

3 Tbsp of honey

You can get a separate jar and spoon for each guest; you know who you are and what you do alone.  You could serve it with cut fruit or cookies. .

For the most part, these are natural complex sugars. Legumes and soymilk made from soy beans contain naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and are considered more nutritious than refined sugars or processed foods.

Other natural foods that contain complex sugars include dairy products like low fat yogurt and skim milk, rice milk, fruits, grain products, and vegetables.

Garlic and ginger can be used in dishes with legumes to help ensure that there will be-no-gas or to help dissipate what develops of it.  You can peel ginger with a spoon.