About a
month ago, my boyfriend Julian held a fundraiser to raise money for kids with
cancer. His ultimate goal in raising the money was to participate in his first
ever 100km run (if you want to see how it went, please check out the video at
this link). The fundraising event was a complete success and was
different from anything he had ever done before. It consisted of 3 components,
a circuit training workout, yoga, and a holistic nutritionist talk. While the
nutritionist was talking, everyone was chowing down on some tasty snacks, made
a la moi, and I received a lot of great feedback. One of the things I made (with
help from my bf of course) was a quinoa, adzuki and mung bean veggie medley.
Many people had asked for the recipe, and after a month of putting it off, I
finally wrote it down! Check out this link for the recipe.
But before
you go out and buy these ingredients, I want to tell you about them first so
you feel much better about your purchase J
Quinoa (Keen-wah)
I think it
may be safe to say that in this past year or so, everyone has learned about Quinoa.
It is high in protein (and supplies
a complete protein – meaning it includes all 9 essential amino acids), is gluten-free, and is full of vitamins and minerals. But, did
you also know that it was once called the “the gold of the Incas”? The Incas
recognized its value as it increased the stamina of their warriors. Also, this
grain contains twice as much fiber
compared to other grains! We know fibre makes us poop J Keeping ourselves regular is really
important, but I am not going to get into that today. But fiber helps prevent
heart disease by reducing high blood pressure, it lowers cholesterol and
glucose levels, and can help you lose weight.
Adzuki Beans (a-zoo-key)
The first
time I heard about this bean was when I went to work for ShaSha Bread Co. at a trade show. They
have something called Bio Buds which are sprouted, dehydrated beans. Since I
was selling this stuff, I had to learn what they were, and little did I know,
they were mini power houses. They are a small red bean with a white ridge that
runs along its side. In addition to being sprouted, than can be cooked, or
ground into flour. The bean is cultivated in Japan and China and is the second
most popular legume in Japan after the soybean.
These beans
may offer cardiovascular benefits
since they are rich in soluble fiber
which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. Did you know that soluble fiber
provides bulk to your poop and with that binds to toxins and cholesterol aiding
in their elimination from the body? In Japan, the beans are known for their
healing properties, and are used to support
kidney and bladder function. They are also rich in folate, magnesium and
potassium which play a role in supporting
heart health.
Mung Beans
I heard
about mung beans the same way I heard about adzuki beans. They are small green
beans with a white ridge that also runs along its side. They can also be sprouted,
cooked, or ground into flour. These little babies are also high in soluble fiber, contain
Vitamin C (when sprouted) which is an antioxidant that may lower the risk
of heart disease or stroke, and also a low
glycemic index food, which means they are diabetic friendly. These little
green beans are rich in nutrients such as protein, folic acid, iron, zinc, potassium,
magnesium, and more which contribute to overall health!
Let me
share one more fun fact with you. The great thing about Adzuki and Mung Beans
is that they don’t produce as much flatulence! Yes, I am talking about farts!
So don’t be afraid to fuel up on these mini powerhouses.
All of the
items I shared above with you can be used easily in every day recipes. You can
throw the quinoa and the beans in your salad, in your sandwich, stir fries and
in soups.
Check out
the link here for mine and the bf’s Quinoa, Adzuki and Mung Bean VeggieMedley.
Shameen
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