Call Me the Bean Snob…

I was recently asked the question about why I ordered my Chipotle salad without the beans and realized that I really am a bean snob!  Beans are a great source of protein, but remember they are also high in calories, therefore portions are important!  I am not a fan of canned beans (never was) and that means getting the dried beans and going through the whole process of soaking and cooking them!   The good new is that you can cook them in abundance, portion them out and freeze for future use!  I eliminate them at restaurants because I don’t know how they are cooked.  I know that Bob used to make our beans with ham hocks, which used to just add more salt and fat to the cooking! Now we just make them with onions, maybe some garlic and a few spices before we freeze them, because we can always add more when we have them for the future!  I love adding black beans to my salad, and I know that they are made with extra love!

Black Beans are a wonderful source of dietary fiber which has been shown to naturally help lower cholesterol. In addition, the high fiber content in Black Beans helps keep blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them a wise choice for people with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When Black Beans are prepared with whole grains such as barley or wild rice, the Black Beans provide a virtually fat-free, high quality source of protein. But that's not all.  Recent research also shows that Black Beans are rich in antioxidants as well. Antioxidants destroy free radicals, and when eaten regularly, have been shown to offer protection against heart disease, cancer and aging.