As my due date gets closer I am getting more excited about when the big day will be. Yesterday my mother in law flew in from Brazil and she is staying with us for two weeks to help us during this exciting time. Already she is making life better! Yesterday she cooked up some brown rice and beans, two things I love but rarely do we take the time to cook. She cooked pinto beans and it reminded me of my mom's cooking. So the next super food that I want to highlight are beans! Have you had them lately?
Beans are a heavenly choice to add to your daily food choices. There are so many to choose from. Here is a short list of the benefits:
They are exceptional hormone balancers
They are detoxifying
A great source of protein, choose instead of animal protein
They normalize blood sugar levels and keep your blood sugar levels steady
They are a great source of fiber
They stimulate the release of appetite-supressing hormones
They are a good source of potassium and folic acid
They reduce the risk of heart disease and improve over all health and well-being
Try to get a serving of beans in at least 4 times a week. It is a great way to add good clean protein to your diet, fill you up and supply your body with great nutrients and fiber.
Some tips to get more beans into your life!
Cook a large pot of beans for the week and add them to your meals
Choose bean soups for a quick meal or even a snack
Eat hummus and vegetables as a meal or a snack
Buy sugar snap peas, fresh peas, fresh soy beans and edamame to add to your salads
Buy whole grain wraps and fill them with your favorite beans, salsa, avocado and greens
Use bean dip for vegetables instead of heavy cream dips
Buy a variety of canned beans, white, black, pinto, garbanzo, aduzuki and have them on hand
Find a great chile recipe and make a pot of chile to have for the week
Make sure you buy low sodium canned beans
Rinse beans well before you eat them
Enjoy filling your plate with pleasure enhancing foods!
If you are a good cook make plenty and share with your neighbor or friends or invite your mother in law over and maybe she will have a great recipe to share with you. Any way you choose to do it, add more power foods to your food choices and feel better now!
Enjoy!
Patricia Moreno
