Hey Power Girl,
As I promised last week, I am going to share with you some yummy bean recipes that I am sure you will you will enjoy. Not only are these recipes delicious, but they are extremely GOOD for your health!
Do you remember why beans are so good for you?
That’s right, they are high in fibre, iron, and PROTEIN!
Back on March 27th, 2012, I wrote a blog on why protein is important for building lean and gorgeous muscle.
You might want to review that blog. Check it out here
I want to give you some more information on protein before I share with you my yummy recipes.
There are TWO types of protein: COMPLETE protein, and INcomplete protein.
COMPLETE protein comes from ANIMAL-based foods and therefore they contain all 9 essential amino acids.
An essential amino acid is an amino acid that your body can not make on its own, so you must eat it in your diet.
INCOMPLETE protein comes from PLANT-based foods and have limited amounts of one or more of the essential amino acids.
Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein, which forms your gorgeous lean muscles.
When you are making your meals it is important to make sure that you are including all 9 essential amino acids.
Since BEANS contain PLANT-based protein, they do not contain all 9 essential amino acids; they are limited in the amount of one amino acid needed by our bodies called METHIONINE.
In order to have a COMPLETE protein you must include either a ANIMAL-based food (like fish, chicken or beef), or if you would like to keep your meal vegetarian, then eat your beans WITH GRAINS which have adequate amounts of the missing methionine.
I will talk more about VEGETARIAN eating in a future blog.
SO NOW I AM GOING TO GET ON TO THESE YUMMY RECIPES!
NAVY BEAN STEW
Ingredients:
1 package of navy beans
garlic
water
Directions:
- Sort through navy beans making sure to pick out any stones, or bad beans
- Rinse picked over beans in cold water
- Put in pot and cover beans in cold water so that the water line is a couple inches higher than the beans
Bring the beans to boil on high
- Skim off the foam that the beans create
- Add a few cloves of garlic for flavour
- Once boiled, lower the temperature to simmer and continue to cook the beans in a covered pot
- Simmer the beans until they are soft; this will take about 1 1/2 hours
- At the end of cooking add salt to taste
- Make sure you add more water if necessary during the simmering process
Eat your navy bean stew with olive oil drizzled on top and a sprinkle of oregano if you’d like. I always dip a whole grain bread into my bean stew because it is delicious and it makes the meal a complete protein! YUMMY!!!
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Ingredients:
1 can of black beans
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced bell pepper
2 TBSP minced onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
1 egg
3 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
- Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Roughly mash the black beans with a fork leaving some whole black beans in a paste-like mixture.
- Mix the quinoa, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, hot pepper sauce, and egg into the black beans using your hands.
- Form the black bean mixture into 5 patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Cook the patties in the hot oil until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side
Eat your bean burgers on a whole-grain bun with all the fixings you would like! You will LOVE it!!!!
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
1 can black beans (any bean would work)
5 eggs
1/4 xylitol (a special sugar alcohol to sweeten without sugar and extra calories, Do NOT use NutraSweet or Splenda which are chemicals)
6 TBSP 100% cocoa
6 TBSP coconut oil (or replace 2 TBSP of coconut oil with 2 TBSP applesauce)
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350* and butter and flour a 9 inch round pan
- Blend rinsed beans, eggs and xylitol in blender under smooth and liquified
- Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend until well blended
- Pour batter into prepared pan
- Bake in oven for about 30 – 40 minutes
Enjoy this moist cake as a dessert or snack. It is so good for your that you could even have a piece for dinner if you’re in a hurry!
Well I hope you enjoy these yummy recipes, and I hope that you have learned how HEALTHY beans truly are for you.
I am always trying to help you get the gorgeous muscles you working for.
Your friend and coach,
Jessy Lipke
