Our crazy schedules and love for food make snacking common and portable food hugely popular, whether we eat three meals a day like our moms taught us to or not. Many of us grab whatever might pass for breakfast on the way out the door. If you eat lunch anywhere but at home, you’re either taking it with you or buying it somewhere. And who doesn’t eat in the car? Everyone needs a little smackerel of something after work or school or before a workout. If you have kids, they require an almost constant supply of snacks. Then there are parties and social functions, that empty space beside your latte, and the absolute need to munch during a movie. Grazing has become our eating pattern of choice, and the good news is—doctors and nutritionists all over the world believe that it’s the healthiest way to eat! Eating several smaller meals and snacks over the course of the day (rather than two or three big ones) keeps your energy levels high and blood sugar levels on an even keel. And studies have shown that grazing also lowers your cholesterol, and consequently your risk of heart disease and stroke. Eating regularly also keeps your mind alert and hunger at bay, which will make you less likely to become ravenous and devour enough food to sustain an entire Boy Scout troop. (Not that I’d know from personal experience or anything.)
One Smart Cookie
Beans. We know them well, but as familiar as they are, a huge number of us don’t have a clue what to do with them once we get them home to our kitchens. It’s amazing that legumes, which have been around for centuries and are present in nearly every cuisine around the world, are still such a mystery even to skilled cooks. The process of soaking and simmering seems daunting, even though it requires even less culinary skill than cooking rice or pasta. All legumes—beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils—are high in fibre, protein, and other essential nutrients. They’re low in fat, cholesterol-free, versatile, environmentally friendly, and cheap. They could very well be the world’s most perfect food.
Beans. We know them well, but as familiar as they are, a huge number of us don't have a clue what to do with them once we get them home to our kitchens. It's amazing that legumes, which have been around for centuries and are present in nearly every cuisine around the world, are still such a mystery even to skilled cooks. The process of soaking and simmering seems daunting, even though it requires even less culinary skill than cooking rice or pasta. All legumes-beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils-are high in fibre, protein, and other essential nutrients. They're low in fat, cholesterol-free, versatile, environmentally friendly, and cheap. They could very well be the world's most perfect food.
