Speed up your weight loss by adding beans! with Nutrition Coach Jane Ashley

We are heading into the time of year when our body will start to crave seasonal, fall foods. As summer ends, we move away from the cooling foods like cucumbers, tomatoes, leafy greens and melons, and begin to integrate more beans, fall veggies, and warming foods including more protein sources. I LOVE to add beans to many of my meals (and my kids love them!) Beans are a wonderful way to add high-quality, plant-based protein to your diet. They are high in iron, B vitamins and fiber, and are versatile enough that you may never tire of them. They are a really wonderful way to speed up your weight loss, too!


A really great way to get more beans in is by adding hummus. I love it on sandwiches, with eggs, and used as a base for salad dressings. It is so easy to make at home and in doing so, you will not be ingesting all of the fat and chemicals that are in the store-bought versions. You can use any kind of beans that you like, not just chick peas! I use my Vitamix blender and make a big batch on sundays so that I have it for the week. Here is a simple and healthy recipe WITHOUT the added oil:

Hummus 

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes 

Cooking Time: 0 minutes 

Yield: 3 cups 

Ingredients: 

2 cups canned chickpeas, or 1 cup of dried chickpeas that have been soaked, then cooked in pressure cooker 

1-3 cloves garlic 

3 tablespoons tahini 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1/2 cup spring water (can use chickpea water)

Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food mill and purée until creamy. It is easier to do it in several smaller batches. 

2. Add more garlic, tahini or lemon juice to taste. 

3. Serve with pita bread, crackers or crudités. 

Notes: 

Use 2 cups canned beans to save time. 

Variations: 

Use as a spread for healthy sandwiches and add sprouts, lettuce, tomato or any other fresh vegetables. 

Add fresh parsley to the blender for a lighter flavor. 

Also, you can view a video cooking demo where I make a fresh batch of hummus here.

Enjoy fall and your tasty hummus!

Peace & Veggies,

Jane

Jane Ashley, MA, CHHC, AAPD

Certified Nutrition Coach

The New Mom's Health & Lifestyle Coach

www.WellnessWithJane.com