Consistency is the rule for 2024
As it has been for 2023 and will be for 2025. Get it?
When I first started eating beans with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost two years ago I never imagined it was going to be my passion, whether it was my occupation or avocation. I was eating to heal. And I would’ve tried anything to open my world back up to food. Fortunately, I had to look no further than the lovely legume. The acute pain in my stomach has healed and the way I eat allows for me to enjoy my meals versus dreading them. I have since become a bean evangelist for anyone that is interested in finding information on the healing properties of beans. The more people with whom I engage I realize there are two types of people who are interested in beans.
The first
The first, falls under curious, bean curious. Although it makes me smile it is true. This group came along quite by accident. These folks are interested because they may have friends or family who eat this way. They could’ve seen a special on TV or they have read an article or they have watched the 4-part Netflix sensation, Live to 100: The Secrets of the Blue Zones. Perhaps they like the politics behind it, sustainability of beans, slow food movement, or they like its effects on the body, how they are feeling, increased amounts of energy, and by default, losing weight. For those who live with or know someone or watched people on television eating beans it is expansive regarding ways to eat and thus, they become curious.
The second
The second group of people are not well. I was in this group. There are multiple diagnoses: The GI tract not working correctly, Crohn’s disease, SIBO, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic acne, GERD or whatever the case may be. Anyone with one of the above ailments finds themselves searching for a way to eat that allows for enjoying food again. Many have tried different ways of eating hoping the latest fad will be the answer. We must follow an anti-inflammatory diet. In my experience I had to heal the cells in my stomach first and then I slowly added beans to my diet. The soluble fiber in beans binds with the bile molecules and removes the fat soluble waste from your body into the toilet. With the bean protocol you can eat lean meat, turkey, buffalo, fish and eggs. You do not need to be a vegetarian. I happened to lean towards plants. My stomach and GI tract wasn’t working and that is when I introduced beans and never looked back.
Present situation
While what I presently understand to be true, I am talking to a lot more curious people and I cannot find the people who need help healing any of the above. People who are approaching me out of curiosity, changing their eating habits now, may avoid a future where their eating and socialization with family and friends is not interrupted by pain. Incorporating beans as part of a healthy diet may prevent a future diagnosis. I love talking to family, friends and readers who are interested and helping them understand how beans are part of a balanced diet.
Consistently consistent
The most important thing you can do whenever you start anything worthwhile is to stay consistent with it. I could not have guessed at the beginning of 2022, when I first started down my path of eating beans that I would take up the mantle, cook beans daily, eat them three times a day, integrate with my meals and enjoy them immensely. Answering questions, helping others and guiding on easy ways to integrate beans feels great. For anybody that is interested in recipes you can find me on Instagram @startwithbeans and I share recipes with each blog post. Most importantly, if you know someone who may need help or may be interested but not sure how to start with beans, share my instagram with them or share my first Substack with them. It helps to know that we are not alone.
Regarding consistency, no long lecture on the topic. We all know when we are showing up for ourselves. For me, it was slow and steady, you know, like the tortoise and the hare or any other metaphors but slow and steady does win the race. A little lecture, if you fall off, don’t shame yourself, we are human and this is what it means to be human. We are fallable. We make mistakes. Get back up and get back in, back in the game. Alright, have a great day. And remember, start with beans!
Recommended Recipe
Red lentil curry with sweet potatoes
Two weeks in a row with red lentils. During this busy time of year it is great to whip up a recipe with these beauties if you have no time to soak beans. Red lentils are one of the quickest legumes to cook and they break down which is why they are so tasty in soups and stews. They are rich in iron and folate and an excellent source of protein.
This recipe is an amalgamation of several recipes, mostly inspired by the NY Times Cooking, (which many of their recipes are behind a paywall) and what we have in the cupboards at any given time. Instead of red curry paste, I had regular curry powder in a spice jar. That will work. If you only have 1 sweet potato it will do, add more lentils instead. No spinach, add kale. Whatever you do when you make this you must use full fat coconut milk from the can not the watery coconut milk from the refrigerator section of the market. No subbing the milk. This is the one ingredient that really takes it home.
I made this one evening because I always have at least one can of coconut milk in the cupboard, next to the can of whole tomatoes and canned pumpkin; it was a hit with the whole family during Covid. I usually serve it over rice. Farro, quinoa or any other grain would work equally well depending on what you prefer. My son took it over as his dinner to make and nothing makes me happier than seeing him peeling a couple of sweet potatoes because then I know what’s going down. I hope your family feels the same.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil (separated)
Two medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 - 1 1/2 c red lentils, rinsed
4 cups veggie stock
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 bag of baby spinach
salt and pep to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Cilantro for garnish
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a pot or dutch oven. Add the sweet potato cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over. Transfer the potatoes to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and lower the heat slightly. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the curry powder, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper and turmeric and cook until fragrant (~1 minute)
Add the lentils, stock, salt (the original recipe calls for 2 tsp here. I cook for others besides myself and I am careful with the amount of salt I add. At this point I usually add a pinch of salt and wait until the end to add any additional salt, if any) and browned sweet potatoes to the pot and bring to boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, 15-20 minutes (I adjusted down 5 minutes)
Add the coconut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the lentils are creamy, 15 to 20 minutes
Add the spinach and stir until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Take the pan off heat and stir in the lime juice and add more salt if desired
Garnish with cilantro. The original recipe also calls for coconut flakes as garnish, but I didn’t use those. Looks like I forgot to add the cilantro for this picture, too!
Contact
If you have any questions on integrating beans consistently for gut health now, over the holidays, and into 2024, 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.