Friday Food Fact: get the best of those tough beans with a pressure cooker.

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Here’s the problem with starting a recipe that calls for dry beans–it takes too long. So people end up using the canned versions, which are okay but soggier and usually a little high in sodium. (I use them in a pinch.)

What’s the solution? A pressure cooker.

I use mine often in the colder months for beans, soups and stews. Remember, though, that these great comfort foods are good all year long. Beans are a great source of the protein I need for my training. In a regular pot you would soak lentils or beans for a long time and some would require hours of cooking. With a Pressure Cooker, they can be ready in less than a half hour, plus rinsing time. By the way, the reason you want to soak and rinse them multiple times is so they release the gas instead of you!

Pressure cookers come in a variety of sizes and materials, anywhere from six to 10 quarts, in aluminum and stainless. I recommend the largest you can afford in stainless steel. Large, because these pots can only be filled 2/3 full including the liquid. You need the room. Stainless so you can “brown and saute” thus only needing one pot.

The process is simple. When the liquid in the pot boils, steam is produced at a high temperature and cooks your food. Fast. (Follow manufacturer’s directions.)

This method of cooking is quick (approx. 70%) faster than traditional, energy efficient, keeps the kitchen cooler and is healthier because you cook with less liquid thus retaining more vitamins and minerals.

Some of you might be raising your eye brows about now, thinking, “hey this isn’t cooking. This is cheating. ” Pressure cooking isn’t meant to replace traditional cooking. It can, however, make your life easier and more likely that you will actually cook those beans, soups, stews and much more , when you might not always have the time to slow cook.