The Lima Bean

I recently became obsessed with lima beans. I love them. When I was younger my friend's father would threaten to make us eat lima beans as punishment for poor behavior. The mere thought of a lima bean would make me squirm with dread, and my behavior immediately improved. Ironically, I had never eaten a lima bean until a few months ago at my soon-to-be in-laws' house. On the table was a big bowl of succotash (a mixture of lima beans and corn), and it was delicious. I was not 100 percent sure what I was eating, but I knew I liked whatever those slippery green things were. Then, last month, I was taking a nutrition class when my teacher informed me that lima beans and corn together form a high-quality, complete protein. As a vegetarian I am always looking for new forms of protein, so my interest was piqued. I bought two cans of lima beans from Safeway, some ears of corn and whipped up my first batch of succotash.

It was a disappointment.

The lima beans tasted mostly like the inside of the can, and they were room-temperature. Yuck. If my friend's dad was there, I would have immediately been on my best behavior. However, my first succotash experience had been so delicious that I was determined to make my dish better. Here is what I ended up doing to create a totally delicious, healthy meal:

2 cans lima beans (I keep looking for dried but can never find them)

3 ears fresh corn

1 orange bell pepper

2 tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil

vinegar

sea salt

1. Place lima beans in a colander and rinse throughly with cool water. (I usually put a bowl under the colander to catch the water and let the beans sit for a few minutes. Repeat twice to get off all the "can stink.") Then place lima beans in a large, clean bowl.

2. Boil a pot of water. When boiling, add the corn and cook for five to eight minutes. Remove corn from water and cool.

3. When corn is cool, slice off kernels and add to lima beans.

4. Cut the pepper and tomatoes into small chunks. Add to lima bean/corn mixture and toss.

5. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Right before you are ready to eat, pour some olive oil and vinegar over the mixture. Mix. Then add a few pinches of sea salt, mix again, and serve!

Disclaimer: I have been eating mostly unprocessed foods for about one year. Sometimes it can take your taste buds a while to become used to whole foods. Sometimes you need to add more salt, sauce or whatever until you gradually learn to appreciate the taste of whole, natural, unprocessed meals! Trust me, it's so worth it!