Saturday, February 7, 2015

Tostadas and Cooking Beans in a Wonderbag

Have you heard about the Wonderbag? I’m fascinated with its ability to slow-cook food with no power source. It was invented by Sarah Collins to reduce the need for wood fire cooking, free up time spent tending to meals, and lessen smoke inhalation from indoor live cooking fires. There is a one-for-one program, and for every Wonderbag purchased in the US, one is donated to a family in need in Africa. I received one as a sample for review. I’d like to quote a few interesting facts: “Smoke inhalation from wood fire cooking is the leading cause of death globally. More than 50% of premature deaths in children under five are related to household air pollution. Each Wonderbag saves 1.7 trees, 1,000 liters of water, and 1,248 hours of time not spent collecting firewood.” This is a genius tool for families that use wood fire for cooking, and it’s also incredibly useful and eco-friendly for families who cook with gas or electric stoves. It operates much like any slow cooker in that you can leave a dish for hours, but the dish needs to be heated to a boil first. The bag is made of washable fabric that’s filled with repurposed foam chips, and a drawstring pulls it tightly closed. It’s perfect for cooking things that would usually spend a long time on top of the stove or in the oven. Grains, beans, stews, and soups are all great examples of things to cook in a Wonderbag. And, a small recipe book comes with it to help get you started. A couple of things to keep in mind are pot shape and pot size. First, you’ll want to use a heavy pot with short handles that also has a lid. A long-handled pot won’t fit into the bag. Also, you’ll want to choose the right size pot for the volume of what you’re cooking. If the pot is too large and there is air space above the surface of the contents, the temperature will drop too quickly. My first use of the Wonderbag was to cook black beans, and it worked perfectly. 

I soaked the beans overnight. The next day, I drained them and cooked them in fresh water in a Dutch oven. The water was brought to a boil and allowed to boil for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, I skimmed the foam from the top. After 15 minutes, the lid was placed on the pot, and the pot went into the Wonderbag. You do need to place a trivet or a folded towel in the bottom of the Wonderbag so the pot doesn’t burn the fabric. There’s an insulated lid that fits over the pot, and the drawstring pulls the edges of the bag up and around the fabric-covered lid. I left the beans to slow-cook for about four hours. When I opened the bag, the pot was still very warm and I had beans that had cooked through completely without a stove or any energy source. I love stocking my freezer with two-cup portions of cooked black beans to use for tacos or to serve with quinoa. And, I used some of the black beans to make refritos. I always follow the recipe from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico for refried beans. The cooked beans are pureed in a food processor and then stirred into minced onion that’s been cooking in olive oil. I used some of the refritos for Super Bowl nachos, and the rest were layered onto crispy tostadas. To make tostadas, I fry corn tortillas in a little canola oil and drain them on paper towels. And, then the toppings can go in all kinds of directions. The version shown here included refried black beans, sauteed red kale, and shredded Monterrey jack cheese. After those three toppings were in place, I broiled the tostadas to melt the cheese. Then, sliced fresh jalapeno, chopped lettuce, sour cream, salsa, avocado, and pickled jalapeno were added. For a different take, a fried egg would not be out of place at all positioned somewhere between the melted cheese and the avocado. In that version, I skip the lettuce and sour cream. 

I definitely have a new way of cooking beans, and I look forward to trying other things in the Wonderbag too. Another recipe in the booklet is for homemade yogurt. I need a small enough pot with short handles to make that work, but I can’t wait to do it. I was thrilled with my experience cooking with it, and that pales in comparison to what it offers for families who cook with wood fires. 

I am a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program.

19 comments:

  1. I am a fan of mexican food but never tried making anything at home :) your tostadas look just perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This product sounds wonderful and its nice that they are also working for a cause.
    Interestingly I uploaded a slow cooker lentil stew recipe.
    Tostadas with beans looks tempting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never heard of the Wonderbag before but now I'm thinking i need to get one...super cool! Also, I would like a tostada (or eight) please!

    ReplyDelete
  4. An interesting tool. Never heard of it before...

    Your tostadas look extremely mouthwatering!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  5. A really interesting and cool gadget! These tostadas look very delicious, Lisa.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for letting me know about the Wonderbag. I had not heard of them but they sound really useful and great that they provide a healthier way of cooking instead of a fire. Your tostadas look excellent xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. this is a new one to me--how exciting! i really like what you used it to prepare, too--beans are something i'd need with me on a deserted island, for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, that is so cool! And what interesting statistics. I love what you did for the tostadas!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have never heard of Wonderbag...thanks for the link and the information...I usually use thermo pot when cooking beans or making stew...
    The tostadas look very appetizing and super healthy.
    Enjoy your week Lisa :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is a new one on me, Lisa! I can see how it would work especially if it cooks the beans so well. I'd love to know how the yogurt turns out.

    I don't understand why you would need a small pot for the yogurt. I make yogurt all the time. I usually let it sit over night in the oven in a small blow. Then put it in the fridge the next day. Couldn't you just put the prepared yogurt in small blowl and put the bowl in the Wonderbag? Just wondering:)

    Thanks for sharing, Lisa...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Louise: I didn't even think of transferring the yogurt mixture to a different container, but that could definitely work! To follow the recipe in the booklet, the milk is brought up to temperature, cooled a bit, prepared yogurt is added as a starter, and then the pot should be placed in the bag while it's at 110 degrees. I could just pour it into a bowl of the right size and cover it with a plate. I have to try that!

      Delete
    2. That should work Lisa. I usually let the milk cool to 110 degrees F and then gently add the prepared yogurt giving it another gentle stir and slowly pour it into a non-metallic bowl. Although, I had Turkish friends who use to keep it right in a metal pot. I have a thing about yogurt and metal though. I can't even use a metal spoon to eat it, lol...Good Luck! Let me know how it turns out. It would be wonderful to have yet another use for your new "toy."

      Delete
  11. Never heard of the Wonderbag. Great idea! And it sounds like the perfect way to cook beans. Although I cook them o the stovetop a lot, I find they have much better flavor in a slow oven. And this is the ultimate slow oven!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Damn, these beans look absolutely delicious! Tostadas are one of my favourite Mexican dishes, though it sucks that there are not many places here that serve them! Guess I can try your recipe :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fascinating. Never heard of Wonderbag before, Lisa, Was thinking of all the handles on my pots, but agree with Louise, there are other containers that would work just as well.
    I was amazed smoke inhalation caused so many deaths worldwide. This one for one program is a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have never heard of Wonderbag! This recipe is amazing! You truly ispired me now ;D Sounds like a perfect way to cook beans! Awesome idea!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'd never heard of the Wonderbag... very interesting idea, and beans sound perfect for it! Great looking tostadas, by the way :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love this company's philosophy! Thanks for sharing the wonderbag and your terrific recipe with us.

    ReplyDelete
  17. The Wonderbag sounds super interesting. New cooking tools are always so much fun.

    ReplyDelete

Blogging tips