Beans, beans! The magical fruit…
If you ever visit my house, you’ll know that two staple foods cannot miss from my pantry: beans and avocados! ;)
Today though I want to talk to you about beans. I am originally from Honduras in Central America and beans are eaten on a daily basis, sometimes at every single meal.
Beans are a great source of fiber, protein and folate. You can buy them in bulk and cook as you need. The process is easier than you think and once you incorporate them into your weekly menu, you’ll wonder how you lived without them!
It is crucial that we soak the beans before cooking for at least 7 hrs but preferably between 12-24 hrs.
Soaking beans helps eliminate some of the phytic acid, which is naturally found in plant seeds, nuts, legumes and grains. Phytic acid is considered an antinutrient because it interferes with the absorption of important minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium.
Once we soak the beans overnight, we give them a good rinse and let them simmer for 1.5 hrs or until very soft. Do not - I repeat - do not add salt until they are almost cooked. Salt draws water out of the beans and it will make them hard and they won’t recover from it no matter what.
Once cooked we put the beans in a food processor with some of the water they are cooked in for easier processing and add the rest of the ingredients:
I like to add 1 tsp of Himalayan rock salts and use some fresh herbs I have in hand like: thyme, oregano and sage. As well as some spices : ground black mustard seeds, cayenne pepper & cumin. Add a mashed garlic clove and fresh lime juice.
When done add ¼ cup of some good fats (I use a blend of olive oil and flax oil). Flax oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation, improve heart health and protect the brain against aging.
Beans are inexpensive, delicious and have a wealth of health benefits, including reducing cholesterol, decreasing blood sugar levels and increasing healthy gut bacteria.
I encourage you to make them part of your balanced diet.