Legumes
Worldwide favorites - beans and legumes play well with most any dish
Legumes
Worldwide favorites - beans and legumes play well with most any dish
with The right prep - you'll love legumes
Lentils are packed with nutrition and fiber. Beans offer flavor, fiber and clean veggie protein - cheap too, even those tasty extra fancy heirloom varieties. And when properly prepared, beans offer up all their goodies with none of the gas. Read more on prep tips below and get cooking.
good stuff
Lentils
Healthy, high in fiber and flavor. Buy them sprouted / organic. Lentils are especially nutritious when used in soup. Black or beluga lentils are best variety of lentils with green and red close behind.
Beans
Your best bean bet - black beans, the most protein. Small dark red beans, dark red kidney beans or pintos too. Yellow or black eyed peas are good too. Also try mung, adzuki, white, chickpeas, fava and navy.
Dried beans have more nutrition than most fruits and veggies, so eat up.
Chickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans, they are used to make hummus and falafel. Chickpeas are super versatile.
in a pinch
Canned beans
Less nutrition, but darn convenient for last minute dishes. Always have a few cans of black or kidney on hand.
go retro
Microwave popcorn
Has a high glycemic load. Contains cheap/bad oils and fake butter - neither of which is healthy.
But… you can make your own popcorn with coconut oil and organic popping corn - add real melted butter and good Himalayan salt at the end and eat in moderation. Popcorn is back on the healthy menu!
Legumes
Get half your daily protein right here
Legumes
Get half your daily protein right here
Mo Pro
Many experts suggest getting at least half your daily protein requirement from vegetable sources like legumes. Beans and lentils go with most any meal and fit in with most any dish.
Rocket Fuel
Legumes offer up lots of carbohydrate energy to fuel your next workout, delicious flavors can be created just by adding fat and spilces to make an exotic tasting ethnic meal.
Caveats
Like most any vegetable, legumes can contain anti-nutrients, chemical compounds like phytic acid and protease inhibitors that require proper preparation to overcome these plant based defenses and get all that awesome energy and nutrition.
Legumes Offer Excitement
An all american favorite is Ham n Bean Soup, nothing makes a warm winter's home smell better, great for crock pots. Chili is another fave good all year round.
Hummus - a flavorful mediterranean dip perfect with sliced raw veggies like red peppers, hummus is super easy to make at home.
Falafel - another awesome ethnic dish many people try at a middle eastern restaurant and fall in love with. It to can be made at home to spice up any meal.
Proper Prep
Traditionally people have always soaked, sprouted or fermented legumes to unlock their potential.
For dry beans, just soak them overnight in water. The next morning rinse them in a colander and cook. This greatly reduces any gas from the beans plus it shortens their cooking time.
For lentils the easiest way to do things is just buy then sprouted which unlocks their quick cooking goodness.
Can vs Fresh
Keeping a can or two of beans around for a last minute need is smart but dry beans, especially fresh heirloom varieties is nutritionally superior. Cans sometimes have liner issues as well cause more gas, so if you have a minute or two before bed, just soak raw beans and cook and enjoy the next day -fresh is the way to go.
Where To Buy
Thankfully heirloom beans and sprouted lentils are becoming more common in local grocery stores. If you have a hard time check these online suppliers.