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!
***
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)
