Saw these colorful beans… had to have them! They are really called Calypso beans, but they remind me of our wonderful Alaskan orca whales (which are actually the largest member of the dolphin family)… so Orca bean salad it is.
On the nutrition side, good for any budget, this is a great tasting and crowd pleasing recipe that (secretly) has other ideas about improving your health:
Since ancient times, cumin (Cuminum cyminum) has been prized for its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory (meaning brings both high and low back to normal) and carminative (reduces flatulence). High in many vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, iron, zinc and Vitamin E, cumin is amazing as a free radical scavenger; it has no less than 26 known active constituents in its oils.
Weight loss? You bet! A little over 1 teaspoon of cumin, twice a day for two months helped 88 overweight or obese women lose weight, improve body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood cholesterol profiles. Fibers in beans also have been clinically shown to improve blood cholesterol profiles, restore the gut microbiome, and both of those help with blood sugar balance, blood pressure, and weight control. Soaking beans before cooking helps reduce the “digestive effects”.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup fresh (or frozen) green beans cut into 1″ lengths
1½ cups dried beans, soaked overnight in water to cover plus 1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar OR 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans and/or black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped yellow pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
3 celery ribs, halved and sliced thin
½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup raw apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive or avocado oil
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried mustard
½ cup fresh, chopped cilantro
Preparation
- Rinse the beans. If using dried-soaked beans, add to about 6 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer 1 – 1½ hours until cooked but not mushy. Rinse and cool.
- Bring a pot of water to boil and quickly blanch the green beans for less than 1 minute. Strain through a colander and allow to cool while assembling the rest of the salad.
- Mix the pinto and black beans, the chopped pepper, red onion and celery plus the cooled green beans in a glass storage container.
- Create the salad dressing by combining the vinegar, oil, and spices except the cilantro.
- Marinate at least over night, then stir in the freshly chopped cilantro and serve.
Enjoy every healthy bite!
References
Kaur, D., & Sharma, R. (2012). An Update on Pharmacological Properties of Cumin. International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Science, 2(4), 14-27.
Ninfali, P., Mea, G., Giorgini. S., Rocchi, M., & Bacchiocca, M. (2005). Antioxidant capacity of vegetables, spices and dressings relevant to nutrition. British Journal of Nutrition, 93, 257–266.
Wei, J., Zhang, X., Bi, Y., Miao, R., Zhang, Z., & Su, H. (2015). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cumin Essential Oil by Blocking JNK, ERK, and NF-ĸB Signaling Pathways in LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1-8.
Zare, R., Heshmati, F., Fallahzadeh, H., & Nadjarzadeh, A. (2014). Effect of cumin powder on body composition and lipid profile in overweight and obese women. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20, 297-301.
