Lima bean puree

The lima bean

Lima beans (sometimes called butter beans) are a great source of protein and fibre. They aren’t just rich in vitamins and minerals like manganese: dried lima beans also provide an essential amino acid called lysine, which supports protein synthesis, collagen formation, calcium absorption and immune function. Dogs need lysine in their diet because they can’t produce enough on their own.

Versatility

Lima beans are also extremely versatile. One of the best starter recipes for our ‘circular cooking’ is a bean purée. Like a potato mash, a bean purée can carry many other ingredients and flavours to turn itself into a completely different meal. The basic flavour is neutral and the smooth texture allows for added flavours to distribute evenly.

This versatility makes lima beans in particular a valuable component in the Well Dog Pantry. The puree can be added to toppings, used in baking and even in jellies and ices.

 

Making a bean purée

First, soak the dried lima beans overnight (canned beans might be more convenient, but they’re likely to contain sodium and other ingredients your dog won’t want).

 

Bring the soaked beans to the boil and simmer until soft (test after an hour and 20 minutes). As we are using them for a purée, they need to be really soft – no ‘bite’ left in them, otherwise they won’t blitz as well.

Blitz however many beans you need to make a purée. 230 g of lima beans as shown here made a decent bowl of purée. Alternatively, make a larger batch and try with different flavours. If you aren’t blitzing them, I’d recommend removing the skins before eating them.

 

THE BASIC PURÉE

 

 

Experiment with flavours

Now you can experiment to your heart’s content.  Try adding herbs, seeds and powders to this mixture. For example, this beetroot and lima bean purée. The addition of a couple of teaspoons of beetroot powder creates a purée that will form a basis for training treats. Or add some puree to a topping mixture– the possibilities are (almost) endless!  Because this puree freezes well, a convenient option is to make batches of the ‘neutral’ puree and then ring the changes with other flavours whenever you feel like it.

 

 

Freezing

The lima bean puree can be frozen in portions.

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CARE AND SHARE

For humans, try replacing potato mash with bean purée for a change. A common example is a bean purée with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning. Ottolenghi suggests that the butter bean purée can be used as a sandwich spread or sprinkled with dukkah…

Add lemon juice and olive oil and serve! The beetroot puree is also great for us, served with chopped beets and topped with panfried white fish such as haddock.

Or mix it up by adding sesame dressing and serving with stir-fried teriyaki mushrooms with (home-grown) bean shoots and (home) sprouted red lentils!

 

Enjoy!

 

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Important Considerations:

• Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
• As some commercial foods contain beans or other fibrous ingredients, check the label to see whether it’s in your dog’s food 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 nutritionist. I am sharing recipes that I have created and tested in my kitchen and that have been tasted and approved by our doggy friends.