Cooking beans for ease in digestion

Beans are an excellent source of good carbohydrates, they are high in fiber and low in calories. Many people have difficulty digesting beans. I have found that the trick to making beans easier to digest is to soak the beans overnight, then rinse them in cold water and drain, twice. Put them in a pot of cold water to cover by a few inches. Add a piece kombu, which is a seaweed that helps break down the enzymes in the beans and makes them easier to digest, and remove it before serving the beans. Kombu, a dark green sea vegetable, is easy to find in health food stores. Cook kidney beans, garbanzo, or black beans with the kombu at a simmer for an hour to 90 minutes, or until soft enough to squash between your fingers but not until they are mushy. Check the water level during cooking and add more to keep the beans completely covered. Discard the kombu before serving. If you don't have time to soak the beans and need them fast Eden (found in health food stores) cooks their beans with Kombu. For some great recipes that are easy to prepare get Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy, by Gloria Bakst and Mary Goodbody. Or visit my website: www.mybnl.com for some recipes.