15-Minute Black Bean Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Try this salad recipe that only gets better with time. It is a great one to keep on hand in your refrigerator for a ready-made healthy meal or snack.

15-Minute Black Bean Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 cup black beans or 1 15 oz can (without BPA), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 TBS pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Mix all ingredients together and serve. This salad will keep for a couple of days and gets more flavorful if you let it marinate in the refrigerator for awhile.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of 15-Minute Black Bean Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for 15-Minute Black Bean Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Is meat hard to digest?

In comparison to many other foods, yes, meat can be difficult to digest. Meat is protein-dense animal muscle, and, in comparison to many other foods, for optimal digestion it requires better chewing, more acid secretion by the stomach's parietal cells, and more active enzyme secretion by the pancreas. None of these factors mean that meat consumption should be avoided, however. Low-fat meats can make excellent additions to a meal plan, if eaten in moderation, even though many individuals choose to avoid meat for a variety of different reasons. I should also note here that fat itself can be difficult to digest, and you will be complicating your digestive challenges if you choose to eat meat that is higher in fat.
I'd encourage special attention to chewing in the case of meat, as well as to the cutting of the meat into small, bite-sized pieces. The overnight marinating of meat in an acid-containing marinade (for example, a marinade containing vinegar) can also increase its digestibility. In the hospital, when a person's digestive system is particularly weak, meat is almost always blenderized or puréed to make it easier to digest. While few of us would want to go that far in improving meat's digestibility, the idea of special attention to small bites and thorough chewing follows this same basic principle of improved digestibility.
Some people require meat and animal-based foods as part of their diet in order to maintain their optimal health, while others do not. If you are going to eat meat, eating it in small amounts may be wise in terms of allowing for optimal digestion. Additionally, I would highly suggest seeking out organically raised meats (and dairy products), whenever possible, as these do not contain residues of compounds, such as hormones and other drugs, which may be present in their conventionally raised counterparts.
For more information on this topic:

• Beef, lean organic
• Lamb
• Venison