Taste Life Blog

You just never know how a 5 minute conversation can create a change in someone’s thinking and perhaps their life. I have wanted to serve my family more beans and a chance meeting with Lori gave me the perfect recipe for hummus.

“Hi Chere! We met at the Eat Smart NY conference and you asked me for this recipe. It is so funny that you approached me at the conference because I was truly debating about whether to stay in my current position (which was not satisfying) or leave. When I told you that I was a massage therapist and how I help people, you asked me, “What are you doing here?” That really made me ask myself that same question!

I decided to resign and it was the best decision I’ve made. I was offered guaranteed paid hours with the owner of the Physical Therapy office I work out of and the opportunity to expand my business with a retail area offering healthful options for those in pain or for those wishing to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Just wanted to say thank you. You helped me even though I don’t think you knew you were helping! Take care!”
—Lori Brennan BS, LMT, www.Balancedlifebodywork.com, Freeville, NY

Lori’s Hummus

2 – 15 1/2 oz cans of garbanzo beans (reserve 3/4 of a can of liquid)
1/4 cup tahini paste
1 tsp salt
1 TB olive oil
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
4 – 6 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Puree all ingredients in food processor.

How smart are you about beans? Bet you’re thinking green beans.

The bean is technically a legume, a class of foods that includes peas and lentils. Most people do not even know how to pronounce legume yet alone eat them. Beans and other legumes are nutritious staple foods for people in countries around the world. They are less expensive than meat and high in protein. A half-cup serving of almost all types of cooked dried beans provides seven to eight grams of protein, which is equal to the amount in an ounce of meat. Soybeans, however, contain twice as much protein. One-half cup of beans also provides three to four grams of fiber.

Beans are high in fiber, high in protein, low in fat, filling, inexpensive, easy to use and versatile in any recipe, have a low glycemic index and are about 200 calories for one cup. Beans are naturally low in sodium (rinse and drain the canned ones).

For most beans: 1 pound dried beans = 2 cups dried = 4 – 5 cups cooked beans

http://www.americanbean.com/wwwold/BeanVarieties/Home.htm

Beans are a cook’s and Registered Dietitian’s dream food. They readily pick up the flavor of seasonings used most recipes and blend right into almost any raw or cooked creation and have many, many health benefits.

Weight Loss

Beans can help you lose weight as they fill you up. They provide more fiber than whole grains foods. According to a recent Real Age article regular bean eaters weigh about 6.6 pounds less than non bean eaters.

Heart Disease

One study, reported that participants who consumed legumes 4 times a week had a 22% lower risk for heart disease than people who consumed legumes only once a week. If you are following the average Western diet with low bean consumption you are probably at a higher risk for heart disease.

Breast Cancer

After an eight year follow up researchers analyzed data in the Nurses Health Study II of 90, 630 women ages 26 to 46 and found that women who consumed beans or lentils at least twice a week were 24 % less likely to develop breast cancer than women who consumed them less than once a month. Beans reduce the risk of breast cancer due to the presence of flavonols.

Beans are a user friendly food

Many of the studies about the cancer-fighting benefits of beans have indicated that incorporating 3 cups of cooked beans a week into the diet can have significant health benefits. (Gary is you are reading this..this is our family goal!) This may sound like a lot of beans, but it is easy to do. You can toss some garbanzo or kidney beans into your salad. Eat a bean soup for lunch or dinner, make a meat-free bean casserole or make a bean dip.

What about gas?

Many people are afraid of the intestinal gas that beans produce. Soak your beans for 12 to 15 hours before they are cooked. Pour off the water used for soaking, rinse and add fresh water for cooking.

Hummus is our favorite way to eat beans

Hummus is one of the oldest foods ever and dates back to ancient times. Thankfully it has survived and is popular today. Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas ground into a paste. Hummus usually includes tahini which is a sesame paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

You can buy store bought hummus but this homemade version is less sodium and extremely economical compared to the store bought version. It takes 10 minutes to make. Serve it with fresh veggies if you are concerned about your weight instead of pita chips.