Sunday, March 7, 2021

Women's Bean Project


More often than not, if you visit my home, you will find a pot of soup bubbling away on my stove. We love a bowl of hearty soup and chilis all year long.  They also often fill my slow cooker on busy days, or on days too hot to cook on the stovetop or oven.  I make big batches and freeze the extra, or I drop some over at my daughter's house so she does not have to cook after a busy day at work.  

If you look at my Pinterest boards you will find a board for Soups, Stews, and Chowders with countless recipes for soups that I've collected and tried over the years. We also love beans of all kinds and my Chili Creations Pinterest board reflects that favorite one-bowl meal.




One of my favorite products I use to make soup, or chili, is packages from the Women's Bean Project. I discovered this wonderful Colorado non-profit organization through my daughter, as the company she works for is one of the corporate sponsors of their program.  They sell their products in nearly 1,000 stores nationwide, including King Soopers, Whole Foods, Safeway, Meijer, and H.E.B., as well as small specialty retailers. You can also shop for their products online on their website, Amazon.com, and Walmart.com.  You can click on a map on their website--here--to see if they are sold in a store near you.

The Woman's Bean Project's mission is to change women’s lives by providing stepping stones to self-sufficiency through social enterprise. 

They believe that
"...all women have the power to transform their lives through employment. So we hire women who are chronically unemployed and we teach them to work by making nourishing products. They learn to stand tall, find their purpose and break the cycle of poverty. Because when you change a woman’s life, you change her family’s life."

As it also explains on their website: 
"Back in 1989, our founder, Jossy Eyre, was volunteering at a daytime women’s shelter in Denver, CO. She realized that while the shelter kept the women safe, it could not help them make lasting changes in their lives. To help the women achieve independence and self-sufficiency, she needed to provide an opportunity to experience the dignity of work by learning how to get – and keep – a job. She invested $500 of her own money and put two women to work; the start of the social enterprise we are today."
 




You can read some of the stories of the many women that have been helped by the Women's Bean Project on this link. I love that each package is hand-signed by one of the women in the program.  Buying their products really has an impact on helping women learn job skills, gain independence and feel empowered to change their lives for the better.

As you can see by the photos above the recipe on the package is easy to follow.  They also have recipes using their products on their websiteI have never been disappointed by any of their products, which says a lot as I live at a high altitude and often have difficulty cooking dried beans because of our lower boiling point. Their beans always cook well and taste delicious! 

They also sell other products through their website other than soups and chili mixes. They have spice blends, snacks, coffee and tea, baking mixes, instant meals, popcorn, and even dog treats for sale, as well as gift boxes and sets.



As you can see, I love making and eating soup and chili!  
Many in this photo collage were made with the Women's Bean Project Packages. 




This is how I like to make easy vegetable stock. I save almost all my washed vegetable and herb peelings, stems, and ends in freezer bags until I have two large bags full. I then empty the bags into a pot, cover them with water, and simmer them all for a couple of hours. When they all cook down I strain out all the vegetables and place the stock they made in containers to freeze for future use in soups and stews and chilis.   It's a great way to not waste anything!  If you have never done this before give it a try.


I'm headed to this pretty town in Colorado this upcoming week to get my second dose of covid vaccine. It will be such a relief!  I'll let you know how I fared afterward in my next blog post.

In the meantime, my friends, stay healthy and safe!


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34 comments:

Angie said...

Pat - I have sent a link to this post to my Head Chef. Soups, stews and chowders are my favorite type of meal. And to support the Women's Bean Project?!? Wow. A simple concept and so powerful. So glad to learn about this. And the home-made vegetable stock - an alternative way to utilize materials that we normally put into compost! Thanks for bringing these great ideas to Mosaic Monday!!! And I hope the second shot goes smoothly for you.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Thanks for sharing this post on the Women's bean Project and packages. I will check it out on Amazon and my local stores. It is a great cause, helping women change their lives for the better. The chili and soup look yummy. We are still waiting for the first vaccine shot.
Take care, have a happy day and a great new week!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

All of your soups look good. I am going to check out that site. I save chicken carcasses along with the ends of carrots, onions, celery, parsley stems and small garlic cloves to make homemade chicken stock. Good luck with your vaccine. I have had both of mine and my husband finally had his first one on Saturday.

A Bit of the Blarney said...

We enjoy a good bean soup here too. Split pea soup is a favorite ever since we lived in California. I learned to make it soon after! Thank you and as always you have left me with some wonderful thinks to consider! Have a grand week!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I'll check this project out! Sounds very interesting and appetizing too! Good luck with your second shot! I hope all goes well! Hugs!

Barbara Rogers said...

I just noticed I've gone a week without a soup. I was making one weekly, then eating it daily, with different kind of additions that kept me enjoying it. Add rice, add plant-based sausage, add yogurt, add some hot spices, add this and that veggies that were left over. I feel very lost, so today is the soup challenge! So glad your post inspired me. I loved hearing about the Women's Bean project. I'll be looking for their products here!

Tom said...

...women do the best work, men could learn a thing or two.

Klara said...

this is a great post, in every respect.

Lydia C. Lee said...

Good luck with the second dose! Let's knock this whole dumb thing over!! Soooooo over it!

stevebethere said...

Well it all looks delicious I love soups,

My second dose is due end of April 👍

Have a beantastic safe week 😷😷😷

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I'm glad you are getting your second vaccine shot. My sister and BIL who live in Colorado are getting their first shots today.

My wife cooks lots of soups of a bunch of different kinds. Like you said they are good food year round.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Happy International Women's Day! How better to celebrate International Women's Day than to purchase some bean mixes from an organization that helps women in need learn job skills and gain empowerment in their lives? They have a 95% success rate! Go to their website as they are giving a 20% discount today on their products!

NCSue said...

What a cool idea! I love seeing the way some people/organizations come up with creative ways to share their blessings.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/03/springtime.html

Lowcarb team member said...

Many thanks for highlighting this project.

Hoping all goes well with your second vaccination.
Take care, and have a great week.

All the best Jan

Tanza Erlambang said...

glad that you would like to share about this project....

Have a wonderful day

Ruth Hiebert said...

What a great idea to help women long term. The soups look very tasty.

lesh Stgermain said...

Love these ready made bean mixes, and it started being a a go-to a few years ago when I was at a conundrum on what to eat. My only complaint is, I have never any leftovers, haha. Many thanks for sharing with All Seasons about the women's Bean project.I know that in some countries the economy is not strong enough for everyone who wants to, to have a job. We are blessed here in the USA!Have a great rest of the week, Jesh

William Kendall said...

Good luck with the vaccination.

Jeanie said...

I love soup of all kinds as you do and this sounds like a wonderful project. I am thrilled you are getting your second vaccine. I'm guessing you heard about changing recommendations regarding masking and distance for those who are vaccinated. Of course I'll probably be overly careful but what a relief!

Photo Cache said...

Now, I want soup!

Worth A Thousand Words

Su-sieee! Mac said...

I shall check out the Women's Bean Project, thanks for the tip. Also for the tip about the vegetable stock. Cheers! :-)

Donna @ Modern on Monticello said...

Such an amazing and inspiring story for today. I am so glad you shared it and the work these women are doing. #HomeMattersParty

Nina said...

The Women's Bean Project sounds amazing. It's wonderful when people come up with solutions to help people gain work skills so they can be self-sustaining!

These pots of soup look so yummy. (Want to invite me over to supper sometime???) :-)

EricaSta said...

Beans are delicious. And your recipes looking all fantastisc. But never heard before about a Women's Bean Project. That's must be funny. Of course to help other is a wonderful Action.

Have a good week.

Happy MosaicMonday

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Hearty meals for frigid days!

Crafty Green Poet said...

That sounds like a great project!

Hope all goes well with your vaccination!

Jim said...

Interesting.

Spare Parts and Pics said...

Fascinating background and wonderful cause. I'm right behind you with regard to my second vaccine dose. Good luck!!

Rambling Woods said...

I also love making soups...congrats that you are getting your second shot...mine is at the end of the month..

Michelle said...

Thank you for sharing this information about the women's bean project. I will be checking them out! I make a lot of soups and am always looking for new ways to make a good pot of soup.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Those soups look amazing and what a good idea to make veggie stock! I hope the expected snow storm doesn’t cause you any trouble on your vaccine expedition. I am getting my first on Monday, Bill had his this week. I also have to travel to another town!

betty-NZ said...

You are so clever making stock and your photos looks delicious!

Your link is a welcome addition to My Corner of the World' this week!

April J Harris said...

What wonderful comfort food, Pat, and I do love the sound of the Women's Bean Project! It's so lovely when food production, sale and preparation benefits lots of people. Thank you for sharing this wonderful company - and the delicious recipe ideas with the Hearth and Soul Link Party!

Ciao Chow Linda said...

What a wonderful enterprise, Pat. THanks for clueing me in to this project. I'm going to order some of their products.