madagascar beans

Madagascar beans

I've just harvested a large jar full of the most beautiful beans I have ever seen. In my younger days as a try hard hippy, I would have made some jewellery with them. Perhaps a bracelet or chunky necklace. I seem to remember using pumpkin seeds and lima beans(died in muted colour with onion skins), as well as many large seed pods from our rain forest like the black bean - but I ran out of girlfriends to give them to. Most preferred diamonds!

They're almost too lovely to eat and I'm not sure at this stage if they will appear in some form in my art work. But I've got my photos to use as memory joggers for when I finally need them. 

In the mean time, I was wondering if anyone has any yummy recipes that would do justice to these magnificent seeds. I don't want ot use them only in soups and stews although they do lose their bright colour when cooked. 

Suddenly my art blog has transformed into a cooking site - please send me some recipes and I will send you some beans so you too can grow these magic beans. 
Better still, if you have used these beauties in your artwork somehow or have any ideas, I would also love to hear from you.