NewlyNested: Beans, Beans, Good for Your Waist!

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a blogumn by Debra Goykhman

Photo Credit: Stuti Sakhalkar

Beans.  They seem to be following me around in life.  I guess beans really can’t follow you around, but they have certainly been on my mind like caffeine in the morning.  As I have discussed in the blog before, I have been seeing a dietician with my husband so that we can change our lifestyle.  “Embrace the beans,” was a repeated phrase in our meetings and it continues to echo in my mind every time I search for something to eat.

I grew up with a mom who ate beans daily, but honestly the bean never was something that I was into.  The texture creamy inside and the tough skin outside were too much of a contrast for me.  The only beans I wanted to touch were in hummus, which now with a new sesame allergy is no longer a dish I can take part in.  Still, I knew beans where a new important healthy dietary gem.  Not only was my dietician a fan, but also I have since come across books and magazine articles on the product.  So why beans?

You can never eat to many.  Our bodies do not process fiber like other forms of carbohydrates and you can actually subtract the fiber calories and consider the remaining calories the ones your body will process.  Beans are extremely high in fiber.  More specifically soluble fiber, which is the kind of fiber that helps get rid of fat and cholesterol (the other type of fiber (insoluble) just makes you “go”).

If you are like me and aren’t ready to fully embrace the texture of a bean then you should try this recipe:

Toasted Chick Peas

What you’ll need: 1 can chick beans drained and rinsed, 1/2tsp salt, pinch of pepper, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin.

What to do: Combine above, lay on a cookie sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until crunchy.  Turning 2-3 times during the cooking process.