Nov 27 Weekly Challenge: Bean Counters
themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
Theme: Healthy Eating
Challenge: Bean Counters
This week, let’s focus on adding some beans to our meals.
It’s hard to beat beans. A nutritional powerhouse, they’re an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, potassium, and fiber. They are also packed with cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, help regulate blood sugar, and can lower bad cholesterol. Versatile too! They work well as an appetizer, salad, side dish, main course, or even dessert. Plus, they’re budget friendly and an inexpensive source of protein. There’s a lot to like about these legumes!
I know I’ve fallen into a bean routine. I eat beans, but in the same ways over and over again. I like beans in vegetarian tacos, curries, hummus, and in salads, but that’s just scratching the surface. I can do better. This week, I’m going to make a hearty and freeze-able bean stew and make a batch of delicious Chili Lime Roasted Chickpeas (below), a favorite snack I haven’t made in a long time.
Do you have a favorite bean recipe to share with our group? Please do. Both of the recipes that I’ve posted below, two of my family’s favorites, came from MFP posts I found years ago. Please share your favorite bean recipes!
This Week’s Challenge:
Whether it’s a side dish or the star attraction, let’s all enjoy some beans this week!
Make it a great week!
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Suggested Resources:
11 Health Benefits of Beans:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/beans-health-benefits_n_1792504.html
55 Bean Recipes You'll Be Making All Year Long
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/family-meals/slideshow/bean-recipes
35 Bean Recipes for All Your Plant-Protein (and High-Fiber)
https://greatist.com/eat/healthy-bean-recipes
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Challenge: Bean Counters
This week, let’s focus on adding some beans to our meals.
It’s hard to beat beans. A nutritional powerhouse, they’re an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, potassium, and fiber. They are also packed with cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, help regulate blood sugar, and can lower bad cholesterol. Versatile too! They work well as an appetizer, salad, side dish, main course, or even dessert. Plus, they’re budget friendly and an inexpensive source of protein. There’s a lot to like about these legumes!
I know I’ve fallen into a bean routine. I eat beans, but in the same ways over and over again. I like beans in vegetarian tacos, curries, hummus, and in salads, but that’s just scratching the surface. I can do better. This week, I’m going to make a hearty and freeze-able bean stew and make a batch of delicious Chili Lime Roasted Chickpeas (below), a favorite snack I haven’t made in a long time.
Do you have a favorite bean recipe to share with our group? Please do. Both of the recipes that I’ve posted below, two of my family’s favorites, came from MFP posts I found years ago. Please share your favorite bean recipes!
This Week’s Challenge:
Whether it’s a side dish or the star attraction, let’s all enjoy some beans this week!
Make it a great week!
...............................................................................................
Suggested Resources:
11 Health Benefits of Beans:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/beans-health-benefits_n_1792504.html
55 Bean Recipes You'll Be Making All Year Long
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/family-meals/slideshow/bean-recipes
35 Bean Recipes for All Your Plant-Protein (and High-Fiber)
https://greatist.com/eat/healthy-bean-recipes
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Two of my family’s favorite recipes:
Chili Lime Roasted Chickpeas:
http://willowbirdbaking.com/2010/09/02/snack-attack-2-chili-lime-roasted-chickpeas/
I am not much of a cook. This Black Bean and Chickpea Curry is easy to make and delicious.
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/curried-chickpeas-and-black-beans-low-fat-73679
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Oh awesome! Just this weekend I made a new recipe.
Black bean brownies. I'm going to keep it in my recipe box as I have a few friends who are either celiac or gluten free. This will be perfect.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/161701/black-bean-brownies/
It was really simple to make plus my husband, a meat and potatoes guy, actually enjoyed it! Great chocolate taste just don't expect old fashioned brownies.5 -
Oh awesome! Just this weekend I made a new recipe.
Black bean brownies. I'm going to keep it in my recipe box as I have a few friends who are either celiac or gluten free. This will be perfect.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/161701/black-bean-brownies/
It was really simple to make plus my husband, a meat and potatoes guy, actually enjoyed it! Great chocolate taste just don't expect old fashioned brownies.
@bcTRAI, I have been wanting to try black bean brownies. Thanks for the link!
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@bcTRAI , I've tried the black bean brownies, and they were surprisingly good.
I generally have black beans in my lunch salads, but I didn't make salads this week. I also have hummus with my veggies for my afternoon snacks. Cans of no-fat refried beans are always in the pantry for a quick meal. I also like to make my chili with the packages of 15 bean mix. I think the brand is Ham Beens (but I never use the included seasoning pouch).
I've got a delicious recipe for Potato Bean Soup that I clipped from a magazine years ago. I'll try to share it later this week.5 -
Awesome challenge. I have a chickpea, blue cheese and cucumber salad in my fridge for lunch today. Black beans, corn and avocado salad is another favorite. I have made black bean patties and they did not turn out too good.
@77tes please do share the soup recipe. I love soup.3 -
prgirl39mfp wrote: »Awesome challenge. I have a chickpea, blue cheese and cucumber salad in my fridge for lunch today. Black beans, corn and avocado salad is another favorite. I have made black bean patties and they did not turn out too good.
@77tes please do share the soup recipe. I love soup.
Wow, you are all over this challenge, @prgirl39mfp!
Bean burgers can be tricky to get the consistency right. Too moist and they fall apart, too dry and they’re not very appetizing. I’m thinking one of my winter projects might be to experiment with some bean burger recipes. I did this a few years ago with some shredded beets I had from my summer CSA. I tried about five different beet burger recipes and a couple my family really liked. I think I need to do that with beans.3 -
I had black beans with corn and onions topped with polenta for dinner and it was absolutely delicious. I don’t have a recipe handy to share yet, but I think I can get it. A friend of mine made it for me as an easy meal as I recover. Just delicious!5
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Wednesday is traditionally soup day at my house, a holdover from singledom. Last night I made clean out the fridge, multi bean. All 'meat and potatoes' had to say was it's fine but it would be better with meat. He did have a second bowl though!5
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Here is that recipe I promised. I just made it tonight.
Potato-Bean Soup (originally from a magazine) 4-6 servings
½ cup sliced celery
3 medium carrots, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. butter or margarine
4 cups chicken broth
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up
2 Tbsp snipped fresh dill or 2 tsp dried dillweed (You really cannot have too much dill)
1 15ounce can cannellini or great northern beans, drained (Any white beans will do)
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp pepper
• In a small bowl combine sour cream or yogurt, flour, dill, and pepper. Set aside
• In a large saucepan cook and stir celery, carrots, and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender.
• Carefully stir in broth and potatoes. Simmer covered for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• With back of a spoon mash about half of the potatoes.
• Add the beans.
• Stir the sour cream/dill mixture into the potato and bean pot.
• Cook and stir until thickened.
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Oh and here is my Chili Recipe
Kathy’s 15 Bean Chili
1 pound beans of your choice – (I use a 15 bean mix)
Soak Beans overnight.
Drain Beans. Add water to cover 1” above beans, 1 whole onion, 1 whole clove garlic, 1 tsp. oregano.
Bring to boil. Simmer 1 hour. Add 1 tsp salt.
Simmer 1 hour more. Add sauce
Sauce:
1 ½ lbs ground beef 4 whole cloves
1 red onion 3 T. Chili Powder
3 green onions 1 T. oregano
1 green bell pepper 3 pounds tomato sauce
5 cloves garlic 2 tsp. salt
3 bay leaves ground pepper to taste
Brown meat with onion and garlic. Add rest of ingredients. Add to beans. Simmer at least 1 hour more.
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Thank you,@77tes, for these recipes!1
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Thank you for the recipes
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@77tes, thank you for the recipes. I am not creative at all when it comes to cooking, but I can follow a recipe :laugh:. I shall try both of these recipes this winter.
I really enjoyed the graphics, thank you!
I often add beans to my salads or as a side to a meal. I do make a chili for the meat eaters in the family that they like, but I shall try the 15 Bean Chili to change things up for them.
Vegetarian refried beans, as well as cans of various other kinds of beans always have a permanent place in the pantry. Sometimes that place is very permanent when I get out of the habit of adding beans
. This week was a good reminder to use beans more.
I do not think that my DH would appreciate :noway: Black Bean Brownies :grumble: ...at all LOL
.
:flowerforyou:
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texasgardnr wrote: »I do not think that my DH would appreciate :noway: Black Bean Brownies :grumble:
You really can't tell there are beans at all. My meat and potatoes hubby really liked them. Super easy too. Everything goes in a blender and gets pureed before it goes in the oven. Just call them squares not brownies and don't mention beans.
Refried beans
I make my own in a crock pot, no added fat, and portion the recipe out in containers in the freezer. Plus you can adjust spices to your liking.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/allrecipes.com/recipe/70312/refried-beans-without-the-refry/amp/4 -
Well done everyone! Has given me some great ideas, our lidl supermarket does not stock dried beans but will stock up when I go to Morrisons, I have added canned butter beans to butternut squash curry, had frozen broad beans and the good ole baked beans this week, have stocked up on canned chick peas to make hummous, thank you so much for the recipes and ideas!!!3
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fatbambi2017 wrote: »Well done everyone! Has given me some great ideas, our lidl supermarket does not stock dried beans but will stock up when I go to Morrisons, I have added canned butter beans to butternut squash curry, had frozen broad beans and the good ole baked beans this week, have stocked up on canned chick peas to make hummous, thank you so much for the recipes and ideas!!!
I’ve gotten some great new ideas, too. Thanks everyone for posting ideas and recipes. I’m going to try the black bean brownies very soon.2
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