Chimichurri makes a great marinade for beans. Allow time (at least 2 hrs) for the beans to absorb the flavor of this robust dressing. Boost the calcium content by serving them on a salad with dark leafy greens. The chimichurri marinated beans provide protein and the dressing for the salad. Add crunch and variety of color with an assortment of vegetables such as peppers, beets, and radishes. You can replace white beans with chickpeas.
1 cup white beans (Cannellini or Northern) = 80-140 mg calcium
1 cup garbanzo beans = 80 mg
Beans can contain phytates, which are naturally occurring compounds that inhibit the absorption of certain minerals such as calcium. The cooking process of canned beans can reduce the phytate content making calcium more bioavailable. To lower the phytate content of dried beans, soak the beans prior to cooking, rinse well, and use fresh water for the cooking process. An Instant Pot or other pressure cooker works great to cook beans. Freeze any extra beens for future use in measured amounts of 1.5 -2 cups. A can of beans equals 1.5 cups.
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