Beans Beans the Magical Fruit...

It's that time again... time for my "weekly" Vegetable of the Week (ah ha ha ha ha!)

Black beans are so awesome - they are cheap and yummy and so very versatile. They are a fabulous source of folate, fiber, and like all beans a great non-meat source of protein. Aside from helping digestion, eating a high fiber diet can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce your chances of heart disease. And did you know the darker the bean, the higher in antioxidants they are? Well, that makes black beans top notch!

Generally canned vegetables have lost many of their nutrients and are full of sodium (so choose frozen if you can't get fresh!) but beans are an exception. Canned beans are just so much more convenient than dried, and there isn't much difference nutritionally - just read the label (Whole Foods' 365 brand organic canned black beans have 80 mg sodium, while Walmart's Great Value brand have 370 mg! And the price difference is less than 20 cents a can.)

For lunch on weekends, I spread some refried black beans on a whole wheat tortilla, top it with fresh baby spinach and cheese and microwave, and I have a healthy yummy lunch for the kids that takes 30 seconds to make. Or I skip the spinach and add avocado to make a flower. I made this yummy and quick dinner the other night.

I usually have a big stash of canned beans in the pantry. There's nothing like beans and rice for an easy pantry meal! Just mix some rice and beans with a little sea salt. Sometimes I stir in roasted sweet potatoes. Sometimes I saute some garlic and red bell pepper and add that. And fresh cilantro. Or corn. Or onion and cumin. Or whatever. It's not a recipe, it's just an easy way to fix a healthy vegetable!

And now, from the great Skippyjon Jones... "Yip, yipee, yippito! Our hero is El Skippito! He's the dog of our dreams who delivered the beans, and now we can make our burritos!"