What can you do with a can of beans?

Dear Timaree: “I have heard that beans are good for me, but I don’t know why… and what can I do with a can of them?”

Here is a question for a question… What food is so versatile that it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, is a great source of vitamins (especially thiamin, folic acid, niacin and vitamin B6) and minerals (iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and zinc), a wonderful source of protein and fiber, very inexpensive and super easy to cook?… LEGUMES?!  This group of beans and peas, truly earns their superfood status!  And, you’ll never get bored because there are so many to choose from… Adzuki beans, black beans (turtle beans), black-eyed peas, cannellini beans, cranberry beans, flageolet beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), Great Northern beans, green beans (fresh), red and white kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, peanuts, pinks beans, pinto beans, pinquito beans, Roman beans, soybeans (edamame), yellow and green split peas and more…

While it doesn’t get any easier than tossing canned beans into breakfast burritos, salads, soups, whole grains, chili or pasta dishes, some can be relatively high in sodium. Here’s what you can do to reduce the sodium content:
1.Buy 50% less sodium varieties or even those indicating “no added salt” on the label (lower sodium and regular canned beans are often on sale for less than $0.70 per can).
2.Rinse those canned beans!  This can reduce the sodium content by as much as 70%!
3.Consider buying organic beans, especially when they are on sale, as they tend to be lower in sodium (look for beans with less than 250 mg of sodium per serving).

Dry beans are an amazing value, and I’ll give you some helpful tips for cooking those, as well as more ideas for incorporating legumes into your meals very soon! In the meantime, check out all of the bean/legume recipes that I have on this website!

Timaree Hagenburger, a registered dietitian, certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, is a nutrition professor at Cosumnes River College and sought after speaker. She is so excited about the Plant-Based Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture certificate program that she and her colleague started there, and also conducts local events, corporate wellness work, has a regular segment on California Bountiful TV, and is a frequent podcast guest. Wonderful recipes plus multiple ways to incorporate them into customizable Foodie Bars™, can be found in her innovative cookbook – The Foodie Bar™ Way: One meal. Lots of options. Everyone’s happy. available at www.FoodieBars.com  Find details about Timaree’s upcoming events (cooking demos, book signings and talks about the incredible power you yield with your fork!), and if you missed any of her newspaper columns, podcast interviews or TV appearances, you can find them here at https://www.thenutritionprofessor.com/