Vegan day 92: Cranberry beans


Just because it looks pretty- doesn’t necessarily mean you are suppose to eat it!  
I was drawn in by their bright red color and blotted design. I’m sure somewhere, people eat these in their whole form both raw and cooked. 



Well not knowing much about this- I jumped right in. I treated them as normal string bean pods and set them in a stir fry pan with orange and yellow bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes and strips of tofu. All was good and well until I tried eating them. I can eat food raw and/ or slightly cooked plus I have a special palate, but these seemed off- so much that I had to google it.

No one seemed to cook with these whole bean pods- I realized that you are suppose to shell the beans. This information changed everything- I could have made cooked cranberry beans with something interesting I’m sure, even though these beautifully colored beans would loose their gorgeous color! Anyway, mid way through cooking and tasting them, I striped the beans from their pods and ended up with a much smaller dish. Honestly, I couldn’t even finish the beans- they were a little too hearty for me.

 Apparently, these beans are known by other names as well: borlotti, shell beans and French horticultural beans. They are also known to have a mild chestnut flavor. 


Health benefits of these and most beans are:

  • FIBER
  • ANTIOXIDANTS
  • PHYTOCHEMICALS
  • FOLIC ACID
  • VITAMIN B6 and other vitamins
  • MAGNESIUM and other minerals
BEANS also provide protein, act as a complex carbohydrates slowing down sugar absorption and are known to lessen risks for certain diet related illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 





References: 
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-cranberry-beans.htm
http://www.mujeresholisticas.com/art68e.html
http://www.usdrybeans.com/nutrition/health-benefits-of-beans/




Disclaimer: The information given here is for educational purposes only. You should not use this to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.
[Sunday April 1st 2012 blog]

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