Yes, you read that right. And yesterday was Bean Club Day!

Last year my friend Dave unexpectedly gave me a box of beautiful heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo. I didn’t use to be a big bean eater…they were fine but I didn’t crave them…and then I went plant based and had to transform my diet. When I finally cooked the Rancho Gordo beans, I got hooked on high-quality beans. Thanks, Dave!

A few months ago I received word that I’d been admitted to the Rancho Gordo Bean Club, an exclusive group of 30,000 members. An additional 35,000+ are on the waiting list! Previously it would take a few years to make your way through the waiting list, but it took me only about six months, thanks to Rancho Gordo expanding the number in the club. The waiting time depends on when you sign up…it can range from six months to three years.

What is Bean Club, you ask?

When I told my sister I got into Bean Club, she was standing on the other side of her large kitchen, and she thought I’d said “Mean Club,” which still makes me chuckle!!

Bean Club is like a wine club. Each quarter you receive six one-pound bags of heirloom beans and something extra…last quarter it was bean seasoning and this quarter it’s Jamaica dried hibiscus flowers. You also get admitted into a Facebook group of Bean Club members. LOL.

Steve Sando founded Rancho Gordo in the Bay Area of California in 2001. He’s made beans cool, seeing a 15-25 percent growth every year since he started.

Once you try these beans, there’s no going back. The flavor and texture are just that special. I still have canned beans on hand for quick cooking projects, but I create dishes centered around these precious, tasty beans.

Why you should eat more beans

I know not everyone can eat beans, and for others beans can upset your stomach initially. It helps to add beans to your diet slowly, so you get used to them. Here’s why you should add more beans to your diet (and eat less meat!):

• Lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease
• Stabilizes blood sugar with a low glycemic index and a mix of complex carbs and fiber that prevent sharp sugar spikes
• Improves digestion Feeds good gut bacteria and prevents constipation
• Manages weight Full of high protein and fiber, beans keep you full longer, helping reduce overall calorie intake
• Promotes longevity Populations in “blue zones” who live the longest eat a lot of legumes

Beans are also versatile and affordable, costing way less than meat or poultry (even the fancy beans I buy are far less expensive than meat). I usually make some kind of bean entree on the first day of cooking, and then create a soup on the second or third day.

The one kind of bean I didn’t like was lima beans. That’s a pretty common dislike. I put off cooking last quarter’s lima beans in my Bean Club shipment, but when I finally made them last week they were way better than what I grew up eating! I decided calling them “butter beans” sounded more palatable (like they do in the south!). I made succotash with butter beans, corn, edamame, zucchini, and vegan sausage on the first day, and then put the succotash on pizza dough to make flatbread. That was yummy! Then I followed up with a bean and kale soup with juice of a whole lemon. Mike really liked the soup! I still have another cup of butter beans in the freezer after all that!

Anyway, that’s the Bean Club. Mean Club is still TBD.