Flageolet beans and cauliflower waste
Scanning the shelves for new nutritious options to add to my dogs’ diet has become a habit. Simple, natural ingredients that will offer something different in terms of taste or nutritional profile. Some of the ingredients remain a one-off experiment, but others add variety or new building block potential. Or the dogs just love them. Those invariably become firm favourites in the Well Dog Pantry. This week, green flageolet beans stood out amongst the familiar assortment of dried beans and legumes in the cash and carry. Whilst not dramatically different from other common beans, they do bring a slightly different nutritional profile. And they have the bonus of being a versatile “care and share” ingredient as well.
For the purposes of a rotational diet, the most interesting aspects are probably fibre diversity, in that the fibre and resistant starch profile differs from those of lentils, peas, chickpeas and broad beans; mineral contribution, with useful amounts of magnesium and potassium; and SCFA potential, as their fermentable carbohydrates can support the production of short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate.
Practically speaking, these beans are another useful legume in the pantry; they can be paired happily with a multitude of vegetables and broths – even meat scraps – in building block purées and duos.
Broader profile
Now to the cauliflower: not only does its addition create a discernibly creamier texture, but there is a nutritional advantage too. This combination broadens the nutritional profile. Cauliflower contributes fibre and brassica compounds, whereas the beans provide protein, fermentable carbohydrates, resistant starch and minerals.
The resulting matrix is open, hydrated and digestible. A dense matrix of legume starches from a bean-only puree can trap nutrients within the food structure; a lighter matrix disrupts that density. It also gives digestive enzymes better access to proteins and minerals for more efficient breakdown and absorption. All of this directly influences bioaccessibility.
Functionality
The cauliflower waste brings:
- vitamin C
- fibre
- glucosinolates (which can convert to sulforaphane-related compounds)
- a relatively light, low-starch base
Flageolet beans bring:
- protein and amino acids
- resistant starch
- soluble and insoluble fibre
- folate, magnesium and potassium
The twice-cooked broth, a standard part of our circular kitchen, is a great carrier of flavour, palatability and various minerals and nutrients.
Ingredients
*Twice-cooked broth, around 2 litres
565g cooked cauliflower waste
500g soaked flageolet beans
Soak the flageolet beans in water for at least 3 hours. I soaked these one day, then drained and sprouted them for two more days. Ingredient weight is wet weight (after soaking).
Chop cauliflower stalks and leaves. Add the chopped waste and the soaked beans to the broth mix (which contains some residues from the fish, chicken and carrots used to create the broth). Cook in the slow cooker for three to four hours or until everything is soft enough to break down easily into a purée. The result is a stable, digestible emulsion that will coat grains, stretch meat and enrich a meal.
*I made a double broth with this, first with the cauliflower and pangasius, then reusing the same broth to cook carrots and chicken. (Make sure you refrigerate the used broth overnight before reusing it the next day.)
When soaking beans, allow space in the jar or container for them to swell to approximately twice their dry size.
Pour broth into the slow cooker (you can see the difference of the first broth above and the second broth in the photos above).
Add cooked cauliflower stalks and soaked beans.
The beans are beautifully soft and with the addition of a ladleful of broth, blitz into a soft purée.
Even without other ingredients, they are accepted immediately in the first tasting.
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Pairs well with:
The following are examples of compatible ingredients, some of which also create nutritional synergies with the cauliflower and flageolet duo.
Lean proteins
Cooked chicken, turkey, white fish or rabbit broaden the amino-acid profile of the dish and complement the plant protein provided by the flageolet beans.
Oily fish
Salmon, sardines and mackerel add omega-3 fatty acids and highly bioavailable protein, complementing the fibre-rich bean matrix while increasing energy density and palatability.
Grains and pseudocereals
Basmati rice, freekeh, quinoa and amaranth complement the low-starch cauliflower component, creating a more balanced carbohydrate profile and adding further dietary diversity.
Fermented foods
Small amounts of kefir or goat yoghurt work alongside the fermentable fibres and resistant starch in the beans to support microbiome diversity.
Avoid combining with
Avoid stacking ingredients which increase fermentable fibre and overload the food matrix, or which introduce other nutritional antagonisms.
Additional legumes or pulses
Lentils, split peas and chickpeas add further fermentable carbohydrates and fibre, creating a denser matrix than necessary.
Additional brassicas
Cauliflower already contributes glucosinolates and other brassica compounds. Adding large amounts of broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts or cabbage creates unnecessary overlap.
*****
In the bowl:
Dutch quinoa, rolled oat Sloppy Joe with blueberries, green flageolet bean and cauliflower stalk purée, boiled egg, carrots, broccoli sprouts, poached chicken
Important Considerations:
- Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
- If you are feeding commercial food, check the label for ingredients before giving more. Excessive intake of any foods can have adverse effects.
- Ensure (where possible) that you use high-quality, organic products specifically formulated for pets (or better still, human grade ingredients) to avoid any potential adverse effects.
- Introduce new foods gradually to avoid adverse effects such as gastrointestinal upset or diarrhoea.
- I provide nutritional information purely as a helpful guide. Nutritional information on ingredients is obtained from the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central site (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html) and any nutritional information provided in recipes is based on an online calculator: calories and other information will vary based on brands, ingredients and other factors.
- Check nutrient levels and recommendations for your dog’s weight, age and activity. For example this nutritional guideline produced by FEDIAF.
- I am not a professional canine nutritionist but supporting research is cited.
- The recipes shared were created by me and tested in my kitchen – and tasted and approved by our doggy friends!
This post has also been published on Substack.