Beans in the News and More! — recipe

Do y’all recall that Chickpea Peanut Butter Muffin recipe we put out a while back? Well, we’ve gotten such good feedback about it that I decided it was time to conjure up another, so I hope y’all are in the mood for some wholesome dark chocolate beaniliciousness.It has all the good stuff--beans, fruit, nuts, & seeds—and none of that SOS nonsense. Mind you, it’s not real sweet, but the texture and flavor are delectable, and I think it’d be fine to add a few more dates if your sweet tooth is still adjusting to the no-added-sugar lifestyle. Without further ado,...

'Tis the season in America—with the Salvation Army on every corner, colorful LED lights, and Christmas carols, goodwill is sure to come to all. Who can resist the office parties, hot toddies, chili cheese rolls, Swedish meatballs, chocolate dipped petit fours, all-day family eating fests. . . and then, oh yea, the ten-pound post-holiday weight gain. Why do good times have to be so fattening? Well, they usually are, but they don’t have to be. By employing the following anti-eating strategies frequently throughout this holiday season, you will strengthen the inhibition centers in your brain and may end up trimming yourself...

Fengmei Zhu, Bin Du & Baojun Xu (2018) Anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, and food legumes: A review, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58:8, 1260-1270, DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2016.1251390   Did you know beans, fruit, and vegetables can help reduce inflammation by inhibiting the overproduction of pro-inflammatory agents, including cytokines? Inflammation is a physiological response to injury, irritation, or infection, and diseases like arthritis, allergies, atherosclerosis, and cancer are associated with chronic inflammation. The process of inflammation is a complicated immune response involving the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Happily, though, fruits, veggies, and legumes--rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients--have...

I made these in a toaster oven, so they got a bit toasty on top.   Looking for ways to get more beans in your diet? Try this yummy garbanzo bean muffin recipe I invented yesterday. It even passed the taste test of a junk-food loving curmudgeon friend of mine.   Ingredients 15 oz can of unsalted garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 2 flax eggs (2 T ground flax + 5 T H2O, stir and let sit a few minutes until thick) 4 oz. of deglet dates (about 1 cup) 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 tsp....