what do you know about beans?
Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel.
So let's have beans with every meal.
Fun facts about beans + fiber:
Creamy cannellinis, meaty garbanzos, tender pintos, and so many more—beans are one of the most powerful, nutrient-dense plant foods around. Beans are packed with tons of fiber and plenty of plant-based iron and protein. They’re rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients, and for those who pay close attention to calories, they are even low in calories! Studies have found beans to lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. See, magical.
But, the song may ring true for some. If your body isn’t used to beans, or fiber, tooting is a real possibility. There’s a song about it though, so have no shame. And trust that over time, as you make fiber a regular part of your diet, the toots will either disappear or you won’t even notice them.
According to Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, 95% of Americans do not get an adequate amount of fiber in their diet. 🤯 It might be because there is 0 fiber in meat! You read that right, meat has 0 fiber. Ever find it odd how many people have to take Metamucil -for its fiber - to help their daily movements along? Turns out that maybe all they need to do is eat some beans and drink more water? 🤨 (although I’d recommend incorporating a variety of plants.)
Did you know that beans are actually considered legumes, which is a term for dried seeds? (peas and lentils are also considered legumes.)
If you are new to beans , they can totally be intimidating. If you’re brave enough to give them a try, keep reading for a few suggestions on how to easily incorporate them into your diet.
Some simple bean ideas to get started:
Many people avoid beans because they just don’t know what to do with them, or for fear of tooting. Are you one of them or are you brave enough to give them a try….Keep reading:
Love nachos? you’re not alone… next time you find yourself making a platter, drain a can of beans and sprinkle them throughout and bake as usual. You can use the beans in place of whatever meat you would ordinarily use, or in addition to. The idea is to add more plants and fiber to your diet (black or pinto would be my suggestion for nachos)
Smash a can of chickpeas and add in your usual tuna fix-ins and call it a day, or check out my favorite chickpea smash.
Make a tasty black bean side dish by simmering a can of beans in the liquid-gasp!! along with a few cloves of garlic, a couple cilantro sprigs, ½ tsp salt and any other spices that tickle your fancy (e.g. cumin, turmeric, etc). Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the beans are nice and creamy.
Puree beans with a bit of olive oil, some garlic clove, salt, and your favorite seasonings. Voila! A fast dip or sandwich spread.
Instead of opting for a meat-based chili, give this flavorful, easy, and nutritious 🌶 black-bean chili a try. I can’t even begin to count the number of times this dish makes its way into our rotation, especially in the winter months.
Try these steps for delicious and well-cooked dried beans:
Rinse and clean the beans first
Soak dried beans for 8-12 hours before cooking so plan in advance!
I usually follow a 3:1 water to beans ratio when working with dried beans
After soaking, rinse the beans, fill a pot with fresh water, bring to a boil, and continuously skim off any foam.
To aid digestion, add kombu, bay leaf, cumin, anise, or fennel to the water
Cover and simmer for the suggested time. (In my experience, this can vary between 45 min to an hour and 15 min)
✨Tips for cooking with dried beans:
Plan at least 1 day or evening, in advance if you are planning to use dried beans.
When soaking, fully cover the beans with a lot of water. Aim for a 2:1 water to bean ratio. The dried beans soak up the water and you want to make sure they are all fully immersed in liquid in order to benefit from the pre-cook soak.
After soaking, take 1 bean and cut it in half. If the center is still opaque, keep soaking. Repeat as needed.
7 oz of uncooked beans makes around 18 oz of cooked beans, which is the equivalent of 2 drained cans.
If you have a hard time digesting beans, look for sprouted beans!
🌮 Some Bean’spiration
Interested in learning more about beans? I’d love to connect. We can even sing the song :)
