New Moon Greetings, March 29, 2025
Re-Discovering Lupini Beans
During my childhood, we often had lupini beans in the house. They were different from any other beans my mother used in cooking. First of all they were flat and round, resembling little yellow beach stones. But the other difference was that my mother never made them from scratch, as she might with other dried beans. They came to us in a jar of salted water from the Italian deli.
And we mostly ate them as a fun snack. To eat lupini beans you bite into the outer “skin” of the bean. This creates an opening and when you squeeze it, the bean pops into your mouth. The flavor is similar to garbanzo beans (but unique), and of course salty from the brine.
They had fallen out of my awareness until I recently learned that they are super high in protein. One half cup of lupini beans has almost 13 grams of protein. They are also low in carbs, low on the glycemic index, and can apparently stabilize blood sugar. All good things.
The Tricky Part About Lupini Beans
So I started to investigate why they are not better known and why they don’t appear with other dried beans at the grocery store. Lupini beans have high levels of alkaloids which make them toxic if you simply cook and eat them like other beans. They are only made edible by a process that drains away the alkaloids.
My Process
After checking various online sites regarding lupini beans, what I can tell you is that the methods vary from person to person. But every method is about leaching out the alkaloids and making the beans safe to eat. I am going to describe what I did, which is a combination of some of the methods I read online. You will need one cup of dried lupini beans (available at Nuts.com),water, a few tablespoons of salt, and a quart canning jar with a lid.
Day 1. Rinse 1 cup of dried beans and then soak in a generous amount of cold water for 24 hours. Water should cover the beans by at least 2 inches.- Day 2.
- Drain the beans in a colander. Rinse them thoroughly. Refill the pan with fresh water. Add the beans. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for one hour.
- Repeat the previous step (You will have cooked the beans altogether for two hours but have added fresh water in the middle of the process.)
- Drain the beans in a colander. Rinse thoroughly. Place the beans in a one quart canning jar. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add cold water almost to the top of the jar. Place the canning jar lid on and shake the jar so that the salt dissolves and spreads throughout. Refrigerate the beans.
- Day 3. Drain the beans in a colander. Rinse thoroughly. Place the beans back in the jar. Add another tablespoon of salt and fresh water almost to the top of the jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake. Refrigerate the beans.
- Day 4. Repeat day 3, but add only 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Day 5. Again, repeat day 3, but add only 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Day 6. Take a bean out of the jar and taste-test it for bitterness. If the bean tastes bitter (a sign of alkaloids) you’ll need to keep up this process for a few more days. If the bean is not bitter, drain the beans in a colander. Rinse thoroughly and enjoy the beans.
- Beans should be kept in the salty brine and refrigerated, where they will keep for a few weeks. Enjoy them as snacks or in salads.
- I drained the beans and then marinated them in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sliced garlic, and herbs de provence for a few more days in the refrigerator. They are delicious this way.
And if all of that is too much fuss for you, you can find ready to eat lupini beans at most Italian delis and at Vitacost.com,as Brami Italian Snacking Beans.
Reminders from the Lupini Beans
As I engaged in this multi-day process to create edible lupini beans, I was thankful for running water, a stove, and a refrigerator, not to mention canning jars, a stainless steal colander, and pans. All of those things made this a fun and delicious project instead of a cumbersome chore.
But lupini beans have been a part of the Mediterranean diet for at least 4,000 years. So we can imagine the labor it took to make them edible in the past – hauling water, making fire, crafting containers to hold them. It is a reminder of the resilience and strength of our ancestors, a theme I come back to often, especially at challenging times. Our ancestors had to show up every day in a way that would help ensure their survival. It required a lot of energy. When we are feeling overwhelmed by life we can consciously tap into that awareness that we come from strong and resilient people.
And lupinis also remind us that many things that appear toxic at first meeting, might have a hidden side to them. Our ancestors discovered how to make the beans safe to eat, and in so doing, gave themselves a nutritious and easy to store food. This was a win-win for both humans and plant as it guaranteed cultivation of the lupinis. Remembering to look beyond our first encounter of snap judgments with plants, other animals, and humans – to intentionally stay engaged and go deeper – is another reminder from lupinis that could serve us well in the current climate.
About this Blog Post & and Qigong Practice
This post is part of my lunar blog series. For the time being I’ll be posting on each new moon as that is a great time to begin projects and set intentions with the increasing light. Topics are related to related to plants and ideas featured in my book, Growing Mindful. or on other topics related to mindfulness, gardens, qigong, and intentional living. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here.
An invitation to healing circles. I have partnered with other graduates of the IIQTC (Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi) to offer virtual HeART of Body Compassionate Self Care Practice Circles based on qigong and tai chi. Check out the information here: Global Healing Circles or contact me if you need more information.
I’m also offering qigong practice on Zoom during the colder months and at Bluff Lake Nature Center in Denver in the warmer months. You can find the schedule in announcements on the home page.
