Beans in the News and More!

'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....

If you like dessert AND want to eat more beans, you're in the right place! Y'all, every time I make this pudding pie, it's a hit. In fact, it's so yummy and decadent I had to freeze the rest to keep from gobbling it up! Of course, there's no added sugar or oil--just whole-food plant-based goodness. Ingredients Crust 1 cup prunes (adds a yummy tang to the crust)1 1/2 cups almond meal3 Tbsp sunflower butter1/2 cup oats   Filling 14 oz of drained black beans1 cup dates1/2 cup cocoa powder1/4 cup carob powder1 whole vanilla bean1 cup raw cashews1/2 cup...