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Don't
overlook black beans
January 29, 04
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
If
you’re looking for something new to fix for dinner –
something different, delicious, healthful and inexpensive
– I may have just the answer:
Black beans. In any of a variety of ways.
Researchers in Canada and the U.S. reported in December that
dried beans – especially darkly pigmented varieties
– are a rich source of antioxidants commonly associated
with other deeply colored fruits and vegetables. The study,
funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Michigan
Bean Commission, found that black beans in particular had
high concentrations of flavenoids, a type of antioxidant associated
with reduced rates of coronary artery disease, cancer and
aging.
Other beans, including red, brown, yellow and white, were
also good sources of flavenoids. But black beans topped the
list with over ten times the antioxidant level per serving
as oranges and about the same amount as grapes, apples and
cranberries.
Dry beans were used in the study. Cooking (or canning) causes
some nutrients to be lost in the water, but the overall flavenoid
content of cooked black beans is still high.
And black beans have other attributes going for them, too.
They’re high in protein, dietary fiber, folate, iron
and calcium. They have no cholesterol and nearly zero saturated
fat. They’re also versatile.
And they taste great.
If you’re looking for recipes, try ethnic cookbooks.
Black beans are used all over the world. Some good examples:
• Cuban black beans and rice. One of my favorites. Very
simple – a good quick dinner idea. Serve with steamed
rice and plantains.
• Black bean soup. I like to serve it topped with a
tablespoon of minced white onion, with a sourdough roll and
tossed green salad.
• Black bean burrito. At home, I make a take-off of
one served in Chapel Hill at the Flying Burrito restaurant
– the Flying Mayan Burrito. Wrap a flour tortilla around
seasoned black beans, mashed sweet potato, rice and avocado
and top with shredded lettuce, tomato, black olives and salsa.
I use nonfat plain yogurt in lieu of sour cream.
• Bean dip. Black beans make a mean dip for tortilla
chips and vegetable sticks. You can use a thicker version
for nachos or filling for tacos. Salsa is the ingredient that
controls the heat – mild, medium or picante.
• Black bean chili. Mix black beans with others for
a colorful “many bean” chili (I usually toss in
a handful of corn) or use nothing but black beans. Serve it
in big mugs with a bread stick or over steamed brown rice.
• Black bean salad. A chilled salad made with rinsed,
canned beans, minced celery, green peppers, green onions,
chopped cucumbers and tomatoes – and cilantro, if you
like it – and tossed with a vinaigrette dressing.
• Black bean hummus. Different than dip because it’s
made with tahini – a Middle Eastern paste made from
ground sesame seeds. Similar to the kind of hummus made with
garbanzo beans but made with black beans instead. Serve it
drizzled with olive oil and fresh lemon juice with toasted
pita points for a snack or appetizer.
You can prepare black beans the old-fashioned way by soaking
– then cooking – them. It’s quicker to use
canned beans. You’ll trade some nutrients for convenience
and add some salt, too. But if the convenience of canned beans
means you’ll be more likely to use them regularly, by
all means do it.
And while you’re at it, make more than you need. Leftovers
make great lunches for school or work.
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