Monday, April 3, 2017

Versatility in a Small, Deep Purple Package

Spring is FINALLY in the air!  During this season of transition, we’re here at Pathfinder Produce to help you and your family with your fresh fruit and veggie needs.  We hope that you may join us this week, Thursday at the Village Commons in Edmeston from 1 to 5 p.m., and again on Friday, at the UMC Morris, from noon to 5 p.m.  Our friendly and attentive crew will be looking for you!

We also want to encourage all our friends and neighbors to sign up for Splash Path, Pathfinder Village’s colorful and lively 5K and Fun Walk, which is taking place here at the Pathfinder campus on Saturday, May 20.  This year’s event will raise funds for community wellness and inclusion projects.  You can learn more details at either the Pathfinder Village website, or at our online registration page at splashpath.racewire.com

Splash Path registration fees are kept low, to encourage family and group participation, and we welcome walkers and runners of all abilities and ages.  If you are a student looking for a great community service project (for Scouts, school organizations, other youth groups) this is a great thing to be a part of.  If you’re older and want to connect with your community in a meaningful way, we hope you’ll sign up and join in all the fun!

In this week’s “Tales from the Veggie Bin,” my colleague, Martha Spiegel, sings the praises of the humble-yet-oh-so-yummy black bean.  Enjoy!

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Although Pathfinder Produce features many of your fresh fruit and veggie favorites, there’s no reason that one shouldn’t explore other readily available veggies, like dried peas and beans, which are absolutely delicious and kind to the budget.  Of all the legumes that I have tried, versatile black beans are my hands-down favorite. 

Black beans are native to the Americas, are most commonly found in Latin American cuisine, but are used all over the world. The beans are also known as turtle beans, and are not actually black but very dark purple. This becomes most evident when you see the deep color of the water when you rinse them. You can apparently save the soaking liquid from dried black beans to dye yarn, although the finished product will be a shade of blue.

Black beans are excellent for digestive tract health, and according to an article in World's Healthiest Foods,  they even surpass other legumes in this area. A single serving of turtle beans has nearly 15 grams of fiber, as well as 15 grams of protein. This means they are also beneficial for blood sugar regulation and cardiovascular health. They also contain potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and phytonutrients.  These little guys have a lot going on!

I love them best in Mexican dishes, but they are also great as a simple side or even cold on a salad. One quick way that I prepare them is to mix them (hot or cold) with some plain Greek yogurt and a bit of salsa; adjust the proportions to suit your own taste. I also really love a hot bowl of black bean soup. (This is just one quick and easy recipe—a quick Google search will give you many others, so click around and find one you like!)

I have also heard that they are a great way to sneak some nutrition into brownies, but I haven’t been daring enough to try that yet!  Perhaps that’s a baking adventure to try with my grandkids sometime.  Other tempting black bean items may be found at this link at the Brit + Co website.

A couple of notes about using canned vs. dry beans: If you are using canned beans, be sure to rinse them thoroughly to reduce the sodium content. If you are using dry beans, be sure to boil them at the start of the cooking phase (after soaking and rinsing) to eliminate naturally-occurring toxins. For more information about canned vs. dry, see this article from the Healthy Eating section in the San Francisco Chronicle and this one from The Bean Institute.

Until next time, eat well and be well!


Martha (and Lori)