Texican Recipes and the Benefits of Beans

Many of the recipes you will be seeing here for a while will be Tex-Mex, or Texican style cooking. This is because I am in the process of re-vamping my Texican cookbook. Most of the offerings are dishes gleaned from the family and are easily prepared with simple ingredients. Some dishes will use canned goods and, though I am not particularly fond of using overly processed foods, are an excellent way for the working mom or dad to add variety while keeping it simple and quick to prepare. As I get more individual recipes posted, you will also find serving suggestions for complete meals... entrees, side dishes and desserts that, when served together, provide the complete nutrition needed to be strong and healthy.

One of the staples in these regional recipes is beans... Pintos are the most commonly used in my area of the Southwest, along with black and red beans. There are hundreds of varieties available though, and their health benefits are indisputable. Inexpensive and rich in nutrients, beans are a good source of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, calcium, selenium and iron. They provide both soluble fiber (helps reduce fat in the blood) and insoluble fiber (aids digestion, prevents constipation and is generally accepted as an aid in preventing colon cancers). Beans are high in complex carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index value, meaning they don't cause the rapid rise in blood sugars, so serious for diabetics, that many carbohydrates do. Though high in protein, they do not contain all of the essential amino acids needed to make up the complete protein required by our bodies. Adding rice or corn to the meal provides your family this protein without the fat, cholesterol and high calories found in meats and dairy (the only naturally complete proteins).

The main complaint I hear in regard to eating beans is the gassiness they can cause. Personally, I think this happens when we are not getting enough insoluble fiber in our diets to begin with. When fiber is first (or only occasionally) added to the diet it stirs up a stagnant digestive system causing movement of dry, poorly digested or even impacted areas of waste with the resulting noxious byproduct. This reaction tends to dissipate as your body becomes accustomed to getting the fiber it needs to function properly. If you are getting the necessary fiber and still have problems with flatulence, it could be the way you are cooking your beans. I was taught to cook all dry beans using only water. Seasoning is added once the beans are tender and simmered in during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking. Adding meat, garlic or onion to a pot of beans too early in the cooking process is sure fire way to serve up a dish your family and guests will be unpleasantly reminded of for hours!

Check out this site for extensive information on these delicious legumes and photos of some of the more common types of beans.