Recipe to Eat More Beans

Here’s a recipe to eat more beans. What are the benefits of eating more beans? Beans are very healthy but many Americans don’t eat them unless they are consuming refried beans at a Mexican restaurant.

5 reasons to eat more beans

“Make sure you’re eating beans as part of a healthy diet,” says Shayna Komar, a licensed and registered dietitian at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. These tiny protein superstars have big health benefits:

• They help prevent cancer and heart disease.

• Beans help you stay slim. Foods rich in fiber and protein (like beans!) keep you satiated and help build lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass helps you burn more calories even when you’re at rest.

• They’re a great source of low-fat, plant-based protein.

• Beans are fiber-rich. Foods rich in fiber keep hunger at bay, help you maintain a healthy weight and are essential for cutting your risk of colon cancer.

• They’re affordable and convenient. Whether you choose canned or dried beans, beans are an affordable source of lean protein and have a long shelf life. If you go with canned beans, select the low-sodium variety and then give them a good rinse in a colander before you add them to your meal.

Recipe to Eat More Beans: Spanish chicken and beans

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp harissa paste
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 (about 250g) chicken tenderloins
• 125g green beans, chopped
• 400g can no-added-salt cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 50g (1/4 cup) pitted Sicilian green olives, halved
• 400g can cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley sprigs, to serve

Instructions

Step 1
Combine paprika, harissa, garlic and lemon juice in a large sealable glass or plastic container. Add chicken and turn to coat.
Step 2
Place the green beans, cannellini beans, zucchini, olive and tomatoes in another large sealable glass or plastic container.
Step 3
Freeze the containers for up to 3 months or until the night before cooking. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Step 4
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add contents of chicken container. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Add contents of veg container. Simmer for 10 minutes or until veg is just tender. Divide chicken and veg mixture among serving plates. Top with parsley.