13 Ways to Love Black Beans

Photo Credit: SXC

As I sit at my desk working on a Thanksgiving-theme magazine article, rain gently taps at the window. The comforting aroma of a pot of bubbling black beans fills the house.

This morning I made the lofty decision to soak and prepare 3 pounds of the protein-packed little buggers. Yes, 3 pounds!

As a vegetarian, beans are a whole foods staple. They fill me up, keep me healthy and are fat-free. If you don't add beans to your menu very often, what are you waiting for? They're incredibly versatile and inexpensive. I purchase a 1 lb bag of dried black beans at the grocery store for a dollar. So, are you ready to indulge?

13 Ways to Love Black Beans

1. Make a three bean salad topped with a sour vinegar dressing.
2. Whip up a batch of black bean brownies.
3. Toss black beans into your favorite pasta salad recipes.
4. Simmer a pot of spicy black bean soup on a rainy day.
5. Make chili!
6. Mash cooked black beans, add cumin, garlic and fresh lime juice for delicious refried beans.
7. Create an enchilada casserole with a layer of spiced black beans.
8. Blend chilled corn, chopped tomatoes and black beans for a simple Mexican side salad.
9. Mix black beans into seasoned rice for a classic beans n' rice vegetarian meal.
10. Use black beans in lieu of ground beef next time you make tacos or burritos.
11. Puree black beans with a splash of olive oil and chopped garlic for a creamy bean dip.
12. Add black beans to your favorite tomato salsa recipe.
13. Sprinkle black beans atop a green salad for extra protein.

So, how do you like to eat black beans? Make me hungry in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Bean, Beans The Musical Fruit...Wait, Fruit?

Dry kidney beans. Photo from Morguefile.

OK, sing along with me:

"Beans, beans the musical fruit!
The more you eat, the more you...."

We all know the rest of the rhyme. (And, I'm not interested in blogging about flatulence!)

However, I am curious about the claim that beans are members of the fruit family. Really? So, I put on my investigative reporter hat and found this little nugget of nutrition trivia.

Beans are members of the legume family. Other legumes include lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans, according to The Bean Institute. The most popular bean consumed in the United States is the pinto bean.

My top five favorites ways to eat beans are:

• Boiling and mashing black beans with the juice of a fresh lime and chopped garlic to use on tacos
• Tossing several beans together and dressing it with a light Italian dressing for a summer salad
• Adding pinto beans to a pot of vegetable soup for extra protein
• Mashing garbanzo beans and using them in lieu of ground beef to make a veggie "meatloaf"
• Combining kidney, pinto and white beans as the base for a vegetarian chili

So, how do you like to eat beans?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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