Tip #76: Acquaint yourself with the lovely Bean!

As I write this post about beans, it makes me think of a silly souvenir that I had as a child...it was a personalized newspaper with the headlines reading, "Sassy Sara Lands in Jail, Eats Beans".  Wow, I can't believe I actually worked that into a blog post.  Anyhow, the point of all that is to say that often (at least by my children), beans are thought of as a punishment or a "poor man's food".  If this is your opinion, let me open your eyes to the wonderful world of beans.

Beans are a fabulous food that every person should include into their weekly menu.  Here are a few of the many reasons why:

BEANS:
1.  Contain a large amount of antioxidants.
2.  Are a great source of Fiber.
3.  Are a great source of Protein.
4.  Fill you up and keep you full; make it easier to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.
5.  Are cheap!
6.  Provide multiple nutrients: Vitamin B, Calcium, Potassium, and Folate

There are numerous varieties of beans, and countless ways to prepare and eat them!  The internet is a great resource for you.  www.allrecipes.com, www.foodnetwork.com, www.cooks.com.  Just start looking around and experimenting.  Here's a recipe for Red Beans and Rice that I experimented with a couple of weeks ago, and it was great!  This recipe uses a crock pot, which I always appreciate.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crescent-city-red-beans-rice-crock-pot-373619

I tweaked it to make it my own, just as I do with most recipes I find.  I did not use a ham hock, and I chose to use Smoked Turkey Sausage.  Here's a picture of my dinner that night.  It was delicious and I had leftovers for days, which makes for great lunches.

*Oh, and that's some awesome homemade ranch dressing (much better for you and better tasting than store bought).  A little mayo, sour cream, vinegar, pepper, garlic powder, dill weed, chives, and parsley.  I always love when I can pronounce all of the ingredients in my food!