5 Easy Ways to Use Beans (No Recipes Required)

Sarah Schlichter, RD
bySarah Schlichter, RD
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5 Easy Ways to Use Beans (No Recipes Required)

With busy lifestyles and commitments, it can be hard to find the time to cook from scratch or follow lengthy recipes. Butbeing busy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health and nutrition. There are several ways to eat healthfully that don’t require giving up your gym time or outings with friends.

Start by keeping the fridge, freezer and pantrystocked with versatile ingredientslike eggs, whole grains, frozen vegetables and canned beans.

Beansare an inexpensive, convenient and easy way to add protein to any meal, or even build a meal around.From black beans to kidney beans and garbanzo beans, legumes aregreat replacements for meatand offer a number of health benefits. Beans have been shown to help lower cholesterol, improve satiety, reduce blood sugar and increase thediversity of our microbiome. Moreover, beans contain little to no fat and are rich in iron, calcium and potassium; 1/2 cup provides about 110 calories, 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of satiating fiber.

Getting started with beans can be hassle-free — try one of these five healthy meal ideas that don’t require a recipe or spending tons of time in the kitchen.

Beans and eggs go really well together, as exemplified by the classic Mexican dish,huevos rancheros. For an easier riff, add some cooked canned beans into scrambled eggs along with chopped veggies for a hearty, well-balanced meal that’s perfect any time of day.

If you’re looking for a smart way to clean out the fridge, chop and throw whatever leftovers you have into a bell pepper with your choice of beans and cheese. You could also add some rice and leftover meat to make it more filling. Then place it in the oven at 350ºF (176ºC) for 30–45 minutes.

Simply mash a can of chickpeas and spread them on whole-grain toast with a layer of smashed avocado. Season with a little sea salt and red pepper flakes, and you have an easy, no-cook meal.

如果您的时间不足,请将所有蔬菜扔进碗中,并加入一些豆类和奶酪以及蔬菜和谷物。例如,尝试将烤红薯,菠菜,藜麦或糙米和樱桃番茄的组合结合在一起。如果您有一些煮熟的鸡肉或其他蛋白质,也可以添加。

Simply take a tortilla, layer it with beans, cheese and any variety of veggies or proteins you desire, wrap and eat. Consider throwing it in the toaster oven to get it extra crisp.

About the Author

Sarah Schlichter, RD
Sarah Schlichter, RD

Sarah is a registered dietitian based in the Washington, DC area. She works with athletes on fueling for their sports without strict dieting. Sarah is also a nutrition consultant and writes the blog,Bucket List Tummy,sharing nutrition posts, healthy family-friendly recipes and running tips.

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