Legumes are a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils, and are among the most versatile and nutritious foods available. Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also contain beneficial fats and soluble and insoluble fiber. A good source of protein, legumes can be a healthy substitute for meat, which has more fat and cholesterol.

If you want to add more beans and other legumes to your diet, but you aren’t clear about what’s available and how to prepare them, this guide can help.
Many supermarkets and food stores stock a wide variety of legumes — both dried and canned.

Below are several of the more common types and their typical uses:

Adzuki beans, also known as field peas or red beans: Soups, sweet bean paste, and Japanese and Chinese dishes
Anasazi beans: Soups and Southwestern dishes; can be used in recipes that call for pinto beans
Black beans, also known as turtle beans: Soups, stews, rice dishes and Latin American cuisines
Black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas: Salads, casseroles, fritters and Southern dishes
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo or ceci beans: Casseroles, hummus, minestrone soup, and Spanish and Indian dishes
Edamame, also known as green soybeans: Snacks, salads, casseroles and rice dishes
Fava beans, also known as broad beans: Stews and side dishes
Lentils: Soups, stews, salads, side dishes and Indian dishes
Lima beans, also known as butter or Madagascar beans: Succotash, casseroles, soups and salads
Red kidney beans: Stews, salads, chili and rice dishes
Soy nuts, also known as roasted soybeans or soya beans: Snack or garnish for salads

Dried beans and legumes, with the exceptions of black-eyed peas and lentils, require soaking in room-temperature water, a step that rehydrates them for more even cooking. Before soaking, pick through the beans, discarding any discolored or shriveled ones or any foreign matter. Depending on how much time you have, choose one of the following soaking methods:

Slow soak: In a stockpot, cover 1 pound dried beans with 10 cups water. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Quick soak: In a stockpot, bring 1 pound of dried beans and 10 cups of water to a boil. Cover and set aside and let beans soak for 1 to 4 hours at room temperature.

After soaking, rinse beans and add to a stockpot. Cover the beans with three times their volume of water. Add herbs or spices as desired. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender. The cooking time depends on the type of bean, but start checking after 45 minutes. Add more water if the beans become uncovered.

Other tips:

• Add salt or acidic ingredients, such as vinegar, tomatoes or juice, near the end of the cooking time, when the beans are just tender. If these ingredients are added too early, they can make the beans tough and slow the cooking process.
• Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.
• One pound of dried beans yields about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans. A 15.5-ounce can of beans equals about 1 2/3 cups beans, drained and cooked.
• Lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas don’t need to be soaked. In addition, some legumes are “quick-cooking” — meaning they have already been pre-soaked and re-dried and don’t need extra soaking. Finally, canned legumes make quick additions to dishes that don’t require long simmering. Just be sure to rinse prepared and canned legumes to remove some of the sodium added during processing.

Consider these ways to incorporate more legumes into your meals and snacks:

• Prepare soups, stews and casseroles that feature legumes.
• Use pureed beans as the basis for dips and spreads.
• Add chickpeas or black beans to salads. If you typically buy a salad at work and no beans are available, bring your own from home in a small container.
• Snack on a handful of soy nuts rather than on chips or crackers.

As you add more beans and legumes to your diet, be sure to drink enough water and exercise regularly to help your gastrointestinal system handle the increase in dietary fiber.

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended amounts of daily sugar intake are:

Women: 6 teaspoons
Men: 9 teaspoons
Children: 3 teaspoons

Here are some foods that contain sugar. You may be surprised! Read labels carefully.

– Condiments, such as ketchup and relish
– Pasta Sauce
– Soda and other sweetened drinks
– Peanut Butter
– Soups
– Salad Dressing
– Cereals
– Bread
– Granola Bars
– Yogurt

How do you know how much sugar is in a product? You can figure it out by doing some quick and easy math:

4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon = 1 sugar cube
12 teaspoons = 1/4 cup sugar

Divide the number of grams of sugar by 4 to find the number of teaspoons.
Then multiply the teaspoons of sugar by the servings per container.
Voila! You have the amount of sugar in the product.

Example:
A 20 ounce bottle of Coke has 27 grams of sugar. Divide the 27 grams by 4. That’s 6.75 teaspoons of sugar.
There are 2.5 servings per container. Multiply the 6.75 teaspoons of sugar by 2.5 servings. That’s 16.875 teaspoons of sugar, or rounded up, 17 teaspoons.
That means there are 17 teaspoons or cubes of sugar in one 20 ounce bottle of Coke, almost three times the recommended amount of daily sugar intake for women and almost six times the recommended amount for children.

We all deserve a treat once in a while! Try this delicious, not too sinful confection!

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or greater
• ½ teaspoon instant espresso (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice banana into 16 quarter-inch slices.

2. Skewer each slice with two prong skewers and place on wax paper; freeze for one hour.

3. Create double boiler by placing metal bowl over saucepan with one inch of simmering water; add chocolate, espresso (if using) and stir continually until 3/4 melted.

4. Remove bowl from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.

5. Take banana slices from freezer and dip in chocolate until completely coated, allowing excess chocolate to drip off.

6. Place on wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Not only should you be mindful of the types of food that you eat, but being aware of portion sizes is important as well.

Here are some easy ways to estimate appropriate portion sizes:

Palm of hand or deck of cards = 3 ounces meat
Use for cooked chicken, beef, pork, fish, and seafood

Fist or cupped hand = 1 cup
Use for cereal, baked potato

Baseball/Tennis Ball = 1 cup
Use for salad greens, 1 medium fruit

½ of a Baseball/Tennis Ball = ½ cup
Use for pasta, rice, fresh fruit, ice cream

Golf ball = 2 tablespoons
Use for peanut butter, jelly, ketchup, barbecue sauce, dipping sauces, and condiments

Thumb tip or 1 dice (½ inch by ½ inch) cube = 1 teaspoon
Use for butter, margarine, sugar, honey, or condiments

4 stacked dice or 2 slices = 1 ½ oz
Use for cheese

1 handful = 1 ounce
Use for candy

2 handfuls = 1 ounce snacks
Use for nuts, chips, pretzels, and other snack foods

Follow these simple steps to create your own salad recipe:

1. Start with some greens
a. Romaine Lettuce
b. Spinach
c. Kale
d. Spring Mix
e. Green or Red Leaf Lettuce
f. Arugula
g. Etc.

2. Add some vegetables (chopped, sliced, shredded or whole)
a. Carrots
b. Cucumbers
c. Tomatoes
d. Cabbage
e. Broccoli
f. Cauliflower
g. Bell Pepper (All colors)
h. Peas
i. Beets
j. Corn
k. Radishes
l. Sprouts
m. Etc.

3. Add some Fruit
a. Grapes
b. Cranberries
c. Raisins
d. Mandarin Oranges
e. Apple
f. Strawberries
g. Melon
h. Etc.

4. Add some Beans
a. Black
b. Kidney
c. Garbanzo
d. Edamame
e. Etc.

5. Sprinkle on some cheese
a. Feta
b. Cottage
c. Blue
d. Mozzarella
e. Cheddar
f. Parmesan
g. Etc.

6. Sprinkle on some nuts
a. Cashews
b. Almonds
c. Peanuts
d. Walnuts
e. Etc.

7. Add some extras
a. Avocado
b. Olives
c. Pumpkin Seeds
d. Sunflower Seeds
e. Etc.

Or, for a main dish salad try:

1. Tuna
2. Chicken
3. Egg
4. Shrimp
5. Tofu
6. Salmon
7. Quinoa
8. Pasta
9. Etc.

Experiment with different recipes until you find one that you enjoy!

Depending on preparation and portion size, popcorn can either be a healthy snack or a source of added sugar, fat, calories and sodium.

Popcorn is a great source of whole grains and fiber. And at 40 calories per cup and a serving size of 3 cups, popcorn is definitely a good snack choice.

Try making your own popcorn by:

• Placing ¼ cup of popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch bag. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, coconut oil or butter. Fold the top twice and place bag in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

  or

• Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, coconut oil or butter to a pot on the stove top and wait for it to heat up. Add in ¼ cup of popcorn kernels and cover. Shake continuously until the popping stops.

Once popped, try adding some flavor by using your favorite seasonings. You can try:

• Nutritional or Brewer’s yeast
• Garlic Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Cinnamon and brown sugar
• Parmesan cheese
• Kirkland’s Organic no-salt seasoning
• Any of Mrs. Dash’s seasonings

Or any other seasoning that you can think of. Make it your own!

Try these healthy and flavorful dishes!

Curried Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

½ cup quinoa, dry
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 ½ lbs raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed and rinsed (you can use pre-cooked, deveined, peeled shrimp)
1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups arugula (you can use spinach, kale, mixed greens, lettuce, etc. if preferred)

Instructions

Add quinoa and broth to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, and shallots and sauté for a few minutes until golden brown. Add shrimp and sauté 5 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook, as shrimp will become tough and rubbery. Add tomatoes and curry, and stir gently until combined. Divide arugula between salad plates and top with ¼ cup quinoa and two large spoonfuls of curried shrimp mixture.

Chicken Tikka Masala

6 ounces plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 ½ tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
1 cup no-salt-added stock, chicken or vegetable
1 can (15 ounces) unsalted tomato puree
¾ cup reduced-fat or soy milk
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

Optional garnishes: ½ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup chopped scallions

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Dice chicken into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces and toss in mixture. Marinate for 20 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Remove chicken from marinade and discard excess marinade. Sear chicken on all sides until golden brown. Don’t worry if small bits of meat accumulate in the bottom of the pot while searing.

After chicken is seared, add coriander, cumin, cardamom, garam masala, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Toss spices with chicken for about 5 minutes. Add butter, onion and ginger. Continue cooking until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add stock, tomato and milk. Use a wooden spoon to release the sticky bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until reduced; the consistency should be that of gravy. Season with salt. Garnish and serve hot with cooked basmati, jasmine or brown rice, or alongside warmed naan bread.