Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 medium or one small onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 can (16 ounce) diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 basil leaves

Directions

1. Heat the oil over low flame in a medium size pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
2. Add green beans, can of diced tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, pepper and sauté using low heat, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until the green beans are well cooked.
3. Add the basil leaves, turn the heat off and let beans to cool down to a room temperature. Great to serve chilled!

Did you know that……….

Green string beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans), contain no saturated fat and loaded with important for your health nutrients listed below:

1)     Vitamin K is important for maintaining strong bones and helps to speed up the healing process.

2)     Great source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA), which stimulates the colon by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids and lower the risk of color cancer.

3)     Contain good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and manganese which are very essential for body metabolism.

4)     Potassium, the important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

5)     Zea xanthin, it is helpful in preventing age related macular disease of the eyes in old age.

6)    Vitamin C, helps speed up the healing of cuts and bruises, boosts the immune system, regulates high blood pressure and prevents  heart           disease.

7)   Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant also known for eliminating signs of skin aging: wrinkles, fine lines, dull skin and age spots.

8)     Anti-inflammatory properties of green beans are useful for asthma and arthritic patients.

Read more articles about the healthy food - raw diet. Enjoy more great recipes: Eggplant salad and Egg Salad.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

*image credits: photos by foreverdigita on flickr

There are many different types of beans – lima beans, kidney beans, red, black, soy, garbanzo beans, butter beans, broad beans, fava beans, haricot, mung and of course, lentils. Where you live will probably determine which beans are easily attainable by you, but canned varieties of just about any bean are readily available in any supermarket.

All types of beans have significant amounts of dietary fiber with one cup of cooked beans providing between nine to thirteen grams of fiber. They contain both types of fiber – soluble and insoluble which the body requires.

Insoluble fiber or ‘roughage’ is the kind that the body cannot process and therefore removes it, taking with it waste products and toxins. Insoluble fiber is necessary for elimination of waste. Soluble fiber however, remains in the body and helps with the processing of fats, lowering cholesterol and slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream. The risk for heart disease may be reduced by as much as 22% in bean eaters.

Beans also are a great source of B vitamins and folate, calcium and even potassium, which helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Extremely low in fat (3% or less) with a low glycaemic index, giving you energy for longer, beans also help you feel more full, so you’re less likely to binge on other, unhealthy foodstuffs. They’re also great for boosting metabolism. Beans are complex carbohydrates but also happen to be good sources of complete proteins, a rare quality in plants.

Beans are also full of antioxidants. Their ability to protect the body from free-radicals and outside agents means beans have cancer reducing properties!

If just the health benefits aren’t enough to make you choose beans for your next meal, remember that beans are cheaper than chips. Probably the most inexpensive addition to your pantry, even organic beans cost less than most other foods. Considering their benefits, they’re a bargain.

Secondly, they’re delicious. And they’re also super versatile.

If you’re wondering how to utilise the bean in your kitchen, there are countless dishes you can conjure up. Apart from the ubiquitous breakfast dish – baked beans, you can make all sorts of soups and salads with beans, they add a lovely texture to both and are a great accompaniment to greens. Beans are used widely across cultures – Indians love a creamy ‘rajma’, slow cooked kidney beans; while Mexican food like tacos and enchiladas would be nothing without the humble bean; stewed, casseroled, in chillis; bean dips to go with crusty bread or crunchy vegetables; you can even bake with bean flours or make a chicken or tofu dish with bean sauce. Why, plenty of Asian cultures even used beans in desserts – like red bean icecream!

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: Francesco Desideri, He-Boden, Su-lin, Elana’s Pantry and jessicafm on flickr