Cool Beans

I've really been trying hard to incorporate good "power foods" into my diet to keep myself as healthy as possible while trying to lose weight. One food that I've kind of re-discovered are beans! I think it's easy to discredit beans as a bland, boring, nasty food that our parents made us eat as kids, but really, they're awesome.

One of the coolest things about beans is that they are so incredibly versatile and can be used in all different kinds of ways. I also love them because there is nothing intimidating, fancy or unaccessible about them. They are cheap, they come in a huge variety and they can be purchased anywhere.

Beans are also really good for you. They are low in fat, cholesterol and calories. They are also loaded in iron, protein, fiber and tons of minerals and vitamins. You can eat them if you are a meat eater, non-meat eater and non-animal product eater (I could have just said vegetarian or vegan, but I just wanted to be difficult I guess).

Anyway, for some reason tonight, I felt like advocating for beans, I think it's time for people to embrace them! So to help, here are three of my favorite ways to fit beans in my diet.

1. Edamame. I actually came upon this product during my first experience at a sushi restaraunt. It's a soy bean that you can purchase in the pod or out of the pod. I LOVE this stuff. I have only been able to find it in the freezer section, and I actually like to get it in the pod. You heat it up, salt, pop them out of their shell and enjoy. They're so addicting and so yummy. Try 'em.

2. Hummus. To be honest, I haven't eaten much hummus except for the stuff I make, which I think is pretty tasty. Hummus is a greek/italian style bean dip made from chick peas that is usually served with pita chips or veggies. It's a really healthy snack which can be found in the grocery store, but if you're feeling adventurous, here's my recipe:

1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed.

1-2 cloves garlic (I love a good bite to my hummus)

1-2 tsp cumin

1 tsp lemon juice

garlic salt or regular salt to taste

olive oil to desired consistency

In a food processor combine beans and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add seasonings and lemon juice, add olive oil while processor is on until hummus is to desired consistency (I like mine to be a little thinner then peanut butter). Serve at room temperature. If you do refrigerate it, take it out of the frigde an our before serving and drizzle olive oil on top to freshen it up. It's good with fresh herbs too if you have them on hand.

3. Refried Black Beans. I decided to do this when all I wanted was a bean burrito, but discovered we were out of refried beans. I basically just processed a can of black beans adding a bunch of spices that sounded good, chili powder, garlic, salsa, cumin, coriander, oil etc. It ended up being SO good and from what I understand, black beans are one of the best as far as nutrition goes.

Anyway, I hope some of that helps. It's always fun to spice things up and try new ideas, especially when you're trying to be healthy. Sometimes I get in a rut, so I always love to hear suggestions. Have a great day!