PowerSwitch

Hello all,

Say there was a real "TSHTF" scenario in the UK, and suddenly we saw ourselves in a real unpleasent situation. Now, we need a food that one can eat easily, provides nutrition and energy, is transportable and easy to store...

1st thing which comes into mind is baked beans...

You can literally survive on a tin a day

But the trouble is the resource is unsustainable.

Is it possible to make bake beans and store them?

The main ingredients are simply beans and tomato, can you bottle them?

If not what other simple, nutrient-rich staple foods are there available all year round?

How can you collect and utilise the resultant methane emissions from said bean consumption?

Haggis wrote:How can you collect and utilise the resultant methane emissions from said bean consumption?

Two birds with one stone

This has been posted here before, but I'd recommend a good read of this section at least:
http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods000.htm

Smithy wrote:This has been posted here before, but I'd recommend a good read of this section at least:
http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods000.htm

Thank you, excellent!

Anyone stored any beans? I know you can store them in a crock with salt but is it possible to just dry them?

We tend to have a mad surplus of these things in the summer.

Chris.

yes beans are easy just soak them over night in water before you cook them
to dry wait till the beans have grown then you can lay them in pods in a green house to dry in the sun , then shell them and put in them in airtight jars when they are really dry .
you can find certain types of beans that are known for their drying qualitys but all beans dry as do most peas

I fry up some onions and a bit of garlic if you wish in olive oil, add some beans, haricot or broad, fresh or soaked dried, then some tomato, a couple of cans or bottles, and simmer until reduced and the beans cooked. I usually add some origano late in the cooking. They are delicious hot or cold, better than baked beans with a bit of wholemeal bread..

We usually have gluts of french and broad beans so dry them as Jonny said and store them in kilner or honey jars. They last right through until next year and probably longer, but they've never needed to last any longer.

We're going to try sourdough bread as it's supposed to be better for you. The fermentation process breaks down some of the potentially harmful enzymes in the wheat, apparently.

sounds like a nice recipe ken , I will just add you dont need a greenhouse to dry the beans a sunny window will work just as well also some beans will dry on the vine .

and all of ken recipe you can grow yourself , whenever you get the chance to buy kilner jars get them you dont need tins of tomatoes you can bottle them at home not hard to do.

jonny2mad wrote:sounds like a nice recipe ken , I will just add you dont need a greenhouse to dry the beans a sunny window will work just as well also some beans will dry on the vine.

I've heard of people in Mexico and the like threading beans on string and hanging them up to dry either in the sun or over the stove. Then they just take the whole string and hang it in a larder.

yes that would work too the only difference I think is it takes up less room putting them in jars and you dont have to de pod them everytime you want to cook , but thats a good idea if your busy they will dry out ok over a stove.

Tinned tuna in oil and corned beef are useful to stock, both have longer shelf lives than many other canned goods.

They are reasonably palatable eaten cold and probably more nutritous than baked beans.
Chocolate bars are also nutritous, enjoyable and and have a fair shelf life, be certain to buy bars that contain only chocolate (milk or plain) my experience is that the addition of nuts, fruits, biscuits etc reduces the shelf life. I find that kit kat or twix bars start to taste off or stale even when just in date.

Sheep and goats. It works for the Mongolians

rushdy wrote:Sheep and goats. It works for the Mongolians

Be a bit of a b***er in a high-rise, mind!

Sprouts. Seeds and beans are very easy to store and transport, then just add water (and a little time) and you have a highly nutritious and surprisingly tasty food.

See: