Broad bean, fava bean, field bean - there are numerous names for the local superfood that are nevertheless one and the same vegetable. But the confusion should not hide what a great protein donor they are.
Broad Beans - The Future of Plant Protein?
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THE BROAD BEAN
The broad bean has been valued as an ingredient since Roman times, and in the Arab world it is also used, for example, in the preparation of falafel. So, the broad bean has been part of the human diet for quite some time and, of course, it has also made it to the European area, where it had become widely established by the 18th & 19th century.While broad beans slowly disappeared from Central and Northern European fields in the middle of the 20th century, they are experiencing a renaissance thanks to ambitious and small agribusinesses such as the Karviaisten Tila Voima Papu - and not without reason.
The ecological benefits of broad beans are obvious, because they:
- Loosen crop rotation and increase biodiversity
- Have a long flowering period, making them a good foraging crop for bees and other insects
- Can be flexibly cultivated as main crops, catch crops or green manures
- In crop rotation, they can reduce infection cycles of cereals
- Due to a high preceding crop value, they increase yields in subsequent crops
- Their positive humus balance improves soil fertility
- With nodule bacteria in its roots, it releases nitrogen to the soil and virtually fertilizes it
So broad beans are a great and sustainable choice to replace, for example, imported and often genetically modified soybeans with domestically grown and protein-rich legumes. They are great for human and animal nutrition and not to mention, when processed properly, they are super versatile and absolutely delicious!
VOIMA-PAPU FROM KARVIAISTEN TILA
Martin and Emilia Klinckowström bought the farm Karviaisten tila in 1914 and moved to Angelniemi with their sons Arthur and Olof. Angelniemi became their new home because Emilia's family lived nearby and the growing conditions in the fields in the Salo region were good. The farm Karviaisten tila is an old allod. These were tax-free farms given to nobles and the farm was sometimes called a country estate by local people. After Martin and Emilia, the farm was developed and expanded by Olof and Kaija Klinckowström, then by Hans and Raija Klinckowström. Today the farm is owned by Martin and Katriina Klinckowström, the fourth generation to run the farm Karviaisten tila - and the fifth generation is already growing up!
Neighbors visiting their summer cottage in 2016 came to the end of a field, noticed the broad beans growing there, and said, "Great, you have superfoods growing here, in Angelniemi." At this, Katriina's mind flipped and she wondered if this plant would add more variety to the farm's production. This prompted a visit to a local bakery and, as a result, broad beans were grown in Salo before Christmas 2016. Thus were born the Voima-Papu products from the Karviaisten tila.
Their focus is on quality and they leave no stone unturned to present the broad bean in ever new and innovative forms. As a healthy substitute in cooking or simply as an everyday snack.
COOKING & BAKING WITH BROAD BEANS
Cooking or baking with broad beans requires some creativity, but it is feasible and so there is no boredom in the kitchen. To process the dried products of Voima Papu is quite simple and they are also great as a snack for in between!
Important properties of the field bean is also that it is very protein-rich, has few carbohydrates and little fat and is therefore nutritious and snackable without hesitation. The superfood shines with its high fiber content and is also absolutely gluten-free.