Becoming-we control where we're going
and Pinto bean beet sliders
Not all forms of help come in the package we think we need. As we physically age we realize we may have limitations where once there were none. This may include stiffness in bending, lifting, and lower back issues to name a few. One day we turn our bodies in such a way and the next day we are favoring this muscle. When did this all happen, how did we get here? There are multiple iterations of videos on Instagram or TikTok showing us how to sit down on the floor without using our hands, how to open up our hips, and how to properly stretch our backs so we can enjoy our years ahead of us. Oof…where were these helpful videos 10 years ago. Thank goodness, it is never too late to start. If you haven’t I advise you to take a peek. Our physical bodies are important to leading a fulfilling life. All of a sudden we may remember that auntie who mentioned something about health when we were younger. Did we snicker at that advice?
We also “see” intuitive paths we may not have seen before, small door openings asking us to step through, secret passages so to speak. These both assist and clarify to our unconscious mind that I am not the same person I used to be and that's ok. We are growing, learning and understanding where we are along the continuum. Since Covid we may find an opportunity where we can change up the way we work. I am filled with gratitude that I am no longer working full time because it allows me to be present for my family and a flexible schedule now makes the most sense. We may also find ourselves returning to our ancestral homes; living in the town or city where our parents, siblings, uncles and cousins live. Where once we may have felt stifled, we now are counting our blessings to be physically close by, to make the most of our time, to assist others when needed. For me, my help comes through the palette; making meals. I can’t make the chemo easier or lift a heavy box during their move but I can nourish them with my food and I feel a good meal says I love you as much as anything.
And speaking of extended family, age, and where one is in time of life, as we get older/wiser being at family tree gatherings for however long a period makes our roots stronger. We walk away from the outing filled with joy. Joy for being a part of something greater. We may not be able to put our finger on it or eloquently explain why. It's knowing that we are meant to be there at that very time having a moment together. Feeling the experience to lift us until our next experience. That is where we are right now. With the world swirling there are pockets within our lives that are so wonderful they ache. With each year that passes we know time is slipping and mindfully choosing to spend time with family and our friends whom we consider family keeps us in a state of grace.
Don’t try to control it, receive it, and let’s do our best to be the person we are becoming. Practice receiving, joy, love and gratitude for the moments, big and small. We can remember to love our physical bodies by moving them daily and feeding ourselves perhaps with the recipe below.
Enjoy and start with beans!
Recommended Recipe
Pinto bean beet sliders
The other night we made regular sliders along with these pinto bean beet sliders. The omnivores loved these beet pinto sliders. There were leftovers and per usual I forgot to take a picture so I made another one today and it tasted just as I remember from the weekend…delicious. They would be good without the bun over a green salad with a little pub sauce drizzled over. I used the same pub sauce from this post with the black bean burgers a couple of weeks ago. Today’s recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen so you know it works. It’s in their Vegan for Everybody cookbook. Don’t let the title scare you, there are so many recipes that everyone can enjoy. For those of you looking for a book with a plant slant I can recommend this wholeheartedly.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon table salt (I used kosher), plus salt for cooking bulgur
2/3 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed (I used Bob’s Redmill)
1 large beet (9 ounces), peeled and shredded
3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
1 (4-ounce) jar carrot baby food
1 tablespoon whole-grain (I had dijon) mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus extra as needed
12-16 Martin potato slider buns, toasted if desired - It originally makes 8 burgers but I made sliders
Instructions
Bring 1-1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Off heat, stir in bulgur, cover, and let sit until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain bulgur, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and let cool slightly.
Pulse beet, walnuts, basil, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped, about 12 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add beans, carrot baby food, 2 tablespoons water, mustard, salt, and pepper and pulse until well combined, about 8 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl and stir in panko and cooled bulgur.
Scoop beet-bulgur mixture with a 2 oz scoop or use a large spoon, then tightly pack each portion into a patty. I made decent sized patties, if you have a big crowd you could make them smaller and they will still fill the slider bun. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To freeze, transfer patties to parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Stack patties, separated by parchment paper, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in zipper-lock freezer bag. Do not thaw patties before cooking.) I put some patties in a ziplock to freeze separated by parchment.
Optional: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in your nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place 4 sliders in skillet and cook until well browned and crisp on first side, about 4 minutes. Gently flip patties and continue to cook until well browned and crisp on second side, about 4 minutes, adding extra oil as needed if skillet looks dry. Transfer burgers to prepared rack and keep warm in oven. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and next set of sliders continue until finished. Serve sliders on buns with optional toppings of your choice.
I made the sliders and placed them on a platter (I did not warm them in the oven) to serve with the pub sauce, red pickled onions, tomatoes and lettuce.
Contact
If you have any questions on integrating beans consistently for gut health now and into the near future, please email me at Denisemancieri1@gmail.com. Feel free to comment below if there are topics you would like to see.
Please share this newsletter with others if you find it may assist them in adding beans to their diet. Or click the heart, below left, so I know you were here. Thank you!
Note: I am not a doctor. I am a teacher and an educator with an earned doctorate in educational leadership. I enjoy research and I can distill large amounts of information into easily understood and digestible pieces allowing people to understand what is happening to their body and possible steps to reverse it with food as medicine. I have healed my own GI issues through choices with food. I followed Karen Hurd’s bean protocol diet, I meditated and still do and I healed. I feel compelled to be in service and educate others as the more people eating beans, alongside a healthy diet and sharing their stories the more people will live a healthier existence. Joy, peace and freedom abound. Please see your doctor and discuss nutritional options before you change any course of action with your health.
Remember to leave your comments below!