When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

Okay, soooooo, I'm a HUGE fan of black beans.  They're yummy on salads, great in soups, and they're tiny little protein-packed powerhouses.  Aside from just loving the taste, black beans are also one of those super hero health foods.  Among their many health benefits, they are:  a great source of antioxidants, high in fiber, a rich source of vitamin B6, a good source of magnesium and iron…  I mean...  Jack's beans might have produced a giant stalk but, black beans might just be about as magically nutritious as you can get in the real world.  

Black beans are yummy and good for you, and who doesn't appreciate that combo, so, I'm always looking for ways to incorporate them into my diet.

So, in honor of the mighty black bean, and because I was getting a little tired of the same ol' hummus on my chips and veggies, I came up with a dip made from these little noir nuggets, that I call Kickin' Cayenne Black Bean Dip.

This dip isn't "spicy" per se.  Rather, it just sort of hits you with the slightest hint of heat when you take a taste of this black beauty.

With basically one ingredient and a few spices from your pantry, this is super easy to make and it's a sure crowd pleaser.

Shopping List:

2 c. black beans

6 Tbl. water

From the Pantry:

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Tools:

mini food processor

Preparation:  Drain and rinse black beans.  Pour one, heaping cup of black beans into food processor with 3 tablespoons water, 1/8 tsp. cayenne, garlic salt, and black pepper.  Puree mixture until smooth (you may choose to leave yours a little chunky.  I know I do sometimes) then repeat with remaining ingredients.*

Yeah... it's that simple.  Spoon out the dip, serve with chips, pretzels, or some crudites and enjoy.

* A serving of 2 Tbl. contains about 23 calories so, enjoy a guilt free dip that's good for your insides and ain't gonna derail your goals for the outside.

How do you get Enough Protein?

One of the first questions asked when someone finds out I eat a whole foods, plant-based diet is, "If you don't eat meat, how do you get enough protein in your diet to stay healthy and strong?" The answer: a diet rich in a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds adequately provides all the protein you need.

In the modern American diet, protein is pretty much synonymous with meat. Plants do, however, contain ample protein of their own. For example, 100 calories of broccoli (about 10 ounces of food) contains 11.2 grams of protein while 100 calories of sirloin (about 1 ounce of food) contains 5.4 grams.1 As you can see, not only do you get to eat more food without blowing your calories for the day but you also get more and better protein.

In addition to getting to eat more and fill fuller, plants contain a slue of other beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants and phytochemicals which have wonderful cancer prevention properties. Phytochemicals are plant-derived chemicals which occur naturally in plants. Phytochemicals work as cancer inhibitors and support immune system health. Antioxidants function as "scavengers of toxins"2 and thus have the ability to help fight off cancer causing toxins in the body. Antioxidants can be colorless but they're what give many of our plants their beautiful hues. Cartenoids are one form of antioxidants. You may have heard of a couple of cartenoids such as beta-carotene (gives carrots and pumpkins their red-orange coloring) or lycopene (gives tomatoes their rich red color) because they have been popularized for their anti-cancer activity. The most important thing to remember though is that these are just a few of the thousands of compounds that, when consumed as whole foods, work synergistically with our bodies to create optimal health. You can get all the protein you need along with an array of health promoting benefits when you eat a diet rich in whole, plant-based foods.

1 Caloric example taken from: Fuhrman, Joel M.D. Eat to Live. New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2003, p59-60

2 Fuhrman, Joel M.D. Fasting and Eating for Health. New York, St. Martin's Griffin, 1995, p37