Madeleine Hull
Legumes, also known as beans and pulses, are nutrient-dense, low in calories, and packed with fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are consistently associated with living longer and are incredibly versatile, making them easy to incorporate into your diet. Whether you're a meat-eater, vegetarian, or vegan, there are numerous ways to add legumes to your meals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Benefits | Living longer, lowering cholesterol, managing blood pressure, improving gut health, aiding weight loss, providing nutrients, fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, and disease-fighting phytochemicals |
| Legumes | Beans, pulses, lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, cannellini, red kidney beans, butter beans, split peas, mung beans, soy beans, pinto beans, black beans |
| Legume-based dishes | Salads, soups, stews, pasta, chilli, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, hummus, stir-fries, curries |
| Legume combinations | Rice, vegetables, leafy greens, grains, cereals, snack bars, bread, baked goods |
| Preparation | Canned, dried, soaked, boiled, cooked, pureed, mashed, fried |
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What You'll Learn
- Add legumes to salads, soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quinoa
- Use legumes in burritos, tacos, and quesadillas
- Legumes can be used in baking, such as brownies and bread
- Legumes are a good source of protein and can be used as a meat substitute
- Legumes are high in fibre, aiding gut health and helping you feel fuller for longer
Add legumes to salads, soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quinoa
Legumes are packed with nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants, and they're consistently associated with living longer. They are also delicious, cheap, and healthy. So, how can you add more legumes to your diet? Here are some ideas for including them in salads, soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quinoa dishes:
Salads
You can easily add legumes to your salads to make them more nutritious and filling. Try adding a four-bean mix, lentils, or felafels to your salad. You can also include cooked quinoa, bulgur, wheatberries, or canned white beans or black-eyed peas. For extra flavour and texture, add some extras like nuts, seeds, or cheese.
Soups
Legumes are excellent in soups, especially chunky, nourishing soups like a curried legume soup with borlotti beans and lentils, or a mixed legumes soup with vegetables. They are high in protein, making them a popular choice for vegetarians and vegans. Canned legumes are a convenient option, and European varieties include chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, and more.
Stews
A hearty stew with mixed legumes is a delicious way to incorporate legumes into your diet. You can use a variety of legumes, such as green peas, lentils, white beans, kidney beans, or Adzuki beans. Fry some diced bacon, then add diced onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and leek. Add tomato puree, chunky tomatoes, vegetable broth, and herbs, then season with smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Finally, add your chosen legumes and let the stew simmer.
Pasta Sauces
Lentils are an excellent base for pasta sauces as they break down beautifully. Try a creamy red lentil pasta sauce with cooked red lentils, vegetables, and seasoning. You can also make a lentil bolognese or experiment with white bean sauces, such as a lemony white bean dip as a fresh pasta sauce or a white bean cheese sauce for a mac and cheese or lasagne.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a healthy, grain-like seed that pairs well with legumes. Simply cook your quinoa by rinsing it and then boiling it with water. You can then add legumes and vegetables to create a nutritious bowl or salad. Quinoa is versatile and can be used in various dishes, making it a great base for legumes.
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Use legumes in burritos, tacos, and quesadillas
Legumes are an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They are also versatile and can be incorporated into various dishes, including burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. Here are some ways to include legumes in these Mexican staples:
Burritos
When making burritos, you can use black beans as the base. Start by cooking the beans, and then add them to a tortilla with other fillings of your choice. You can also make a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes, and meat. Another option is to create a "smothered burrito" or "wet burrito" by covering it in sauce, such as enchilada sauce or chili con carne, and topping it with melted cheese.
Tacos
Tacos are small, hand-sized tortillas, typically corn, that are folded or rolled around a filling. You can add cooked black beans to your tacos, along with other ingredients such as seasoned meats, seafood, vegetables, or beans. Remember to drain and rinse canned legumes to remove excess sodium.
Quesadillas
Quesadillas are made with tortillas and filled primarily with cheese, which is melted, and the tortilla is often folded in half or cut into wedges. You can add cooked lentils to your quesadillas, along with other fillings of your choice. Wheat tortillas are commonly used for quesadillas due to their flexibility.
By incorporating legumes into these dishes, you can easily add more nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants to your diet. Legumes are a versatile and tasty way to improve your health.
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Legumes can be used in baking, such as brownies and bread
Legumes are a great source of nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants, and are consistently associated with living longer. They are also versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, including baked goods such as brownies and bread.
Legumes in Brownies
Pureed legumes, such as black bean puree, can be used as a substitute for butter or oil in brownie recipes. This reduces the fat and calorie content of the brownies while adding fibre and protein. The legumes also help to keep the brownies moist and chewy without sacrificing taste or texture. When substituting pureed legumes for butter or oil, a 1:1 ratio is recommended. It is also suggested to use legumes of a similar hue when making light-colored desserts.
Legumes in Bread
Legumes can also be used in bread-making, particularly in the form of legume flours such as chickpea flour, pea protein isolate, soya flour, and carob germ flour. These flours can be used to formulate gluten-free breads, which are suitable for individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Legume flours provide gas-holding capacity and contribute to the development of the dough, resulting in bread with improved nutritional value and sensory characteristics. Additionally, the flour obtained from germinated legume seeds can be used as a substitute for chemical additives in bakery products, enhancing the nutritional profile of the final product.
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Legumes are a good source of protein and can be used as a meat substitute
Legumes are an excellent source of protein and can be used as a meat substitute. They are a food group that includes beans and pulses like lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts, as well as cannellini, red kidney, and butter beans. Legumes are packed with nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants, and they have been consistently associated with living longer. They are also a good source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins.
Legumes are a great way to add plant-based protein to your diet and are an easy substitute for meat in many dishes. For example, you can add chickpeas to whole-grain dishes such as quinoa, barley, and brown rice pilafs. You can also use a variety of legumes when making chili, including chickpeas, black beans, and soy beans in addition to kidney beans. Legumes are incredibly versatile and can take on strong flavours, so they are perfect for encouraging fussy eaters to get their fill of protein and fibre.
As well as being nutritious, legumes are delicious, cheap, and sustainable. They are also good for the environment, releasing fewer greenhouse gases than other crops and helping to sequester carbon in the soil. This makes them a more sustainable alternative to meat, which is one of the most impactful sectors in the food industry, contributing between 12% and 18% to global GHG emissions.
There are many ways to add legumes to your diet. Canned beans and lentils are convenient as they are already cooked and can be added to salads, soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quinoa. You can also add cooked lentils to quesadillas, or toss them into sauteed leafy greens such as spinach or Swiss chard. Legumes can also be used as a substitute for meat in dishes such as stews, casseroles, burgers, or falafels.
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Legumes are high in fibre, aiding gut health and helping you feel fuller for longer
Legumes are an excellent source of fibre, making them a great addition to your diet to aid gut health and help you feel fuller for longer.
Legumes, also known as beans or pulses, include lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, peas, and peanuts. They are a nutritional powerhouse, offering an array of vitamins, minerals, and protein, but they are particularly beneficial for their fibre content. A half-cup serving of legumes can provide around 7-9g of fibre, alongside other nutrients like protein and carbohydrates.
The fibre in legumes acts as food for the "good" bacteria in your gut, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and improving the composition of your gut microbiome. This can have a positive impact on your overall health, as a healthy gut is linked to a stronger immune system, improved mental health, and reduced risk of certain diseases.
Additionally, the fibre in legumes helps you feel fuller for longer. The fibre and protein in legumes are complex nutrients that take longer to break down, remaining in your stomach for an extended period. This increased satiation can reduce the urge to snack between meals, supporting weight loss and healthier eating habits.
To add more legumes to your diet, try incorporating them into your everyday meals. Canned beans and lentils are convenient options as they are pre-cooked and can be added directly to salads, soups, stews, or pasta sauces. You can also experiment with different legumes in dishes like chilli, tacos, and quesadillas, or add them to whole-grain dishes like quinoa, barley, or brown rice pilafs. Legumes can be a tasty and nutritious addition to your diet, offering gut health benefits and helping you feel satisfied after meals.
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Frequently asked questions
Legumes are a great addition to your diet as they are packed with nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants. Try adding canned beans and lentils to your salads, soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quinoa. You can also add legumes to your breakfast by replacing dairy milk with soy milk.
If you're looking for more creative ways to incorporate legumes into your diet, try adding chickpeas to whole-grain dishes such as quinoa, barley, and brown rice pilafs. You can also use a variety of legumes when making chili, or add cooked black beans to tacos and burritos.
Legumes can be prepared in a variety of ways. Canned beans and dried legumes that are smaller in size, like lentils or split peas, are convenient options as they can be cooked in less time. If you're using dried beans, they will need to be soaked and pre-cooked before adding them to your recipes.
Legumes are an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. They are also a good way to add fibre to your diet, which can help lower cholesterol and improve gut health. Additionally, legumes are relatively low in calories, so you can incorporate them liberally into your meals.
