Lean Beans Savory Bites

Few years ago, I was excited to discover that a hormone named "leptin" [its name comes from the Greek word 'leptos' which means 'thin'] controlled the human appetite. There was an incredible excitement over this discovery and the dieting world including aspiring lean souls like me thought that The Answer for all weighty issue is within our reach :)

Unfortunately, leptin from outside sources has thus far been a huge flop. Leptin is made by our body's fat cells. When the cells realize there is enough nourishment available, [meaning you're not starving yourself by dieting!] they release leptin into the bloodstream which has two important effects:

* Your appetite declines …
* Your metabolism is boosted and thus calories are consumed more quickly …

This revelation forced me to find out about the outside sources that can increase the leptin levels in my system. Knowing my capabilities, I am finally contented with an easy solution. Plant based low-fat foods help to keep leptin levels high – while fatty foods, like animal products, suppress your leptin supply. And guess what? Beans are only 2-3% fat which means they raise your leptin levels and reduce appetite, while causing your metabolism to work harder and faster. So here comes the mantra for staying lean: Include the intake of your beans in your daily diet and it works amazing if you combine a good variety of lentils together.

Beans are loaded with nutrients that our bodies crave(Vitamin Calcium, potassium and folate). There are all kinds of beans available for most any palate … unless you're one of those unfortunates that really detest beans. Sorry about that.

For instance, my least favorite bean is the “Black eyed bean” (lobiya). I don't dislike it, I just prefer other kinds and fortunately there are a myriad of choices.

Healthy beans are so outstanding that only green vegetables come close as a valuable food source. My latest discovery is to know the Startling difference between a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of beans. In fact, if you'd like to reduce your calorie "price" by 10%, add an extra 14 grams of fiber. This means that if you eat 2,000 calories per day, and add 28 grams of fiber to your meals, those calories will only "count" as 1600. Isn’t it cool to know?

Today I’ll be sharing my recipe of “lean bean savory bites”

This recipe is the result of my unending attempts of finding a better and viable way of consuming lentils in a different form as opposed to the conventional and usual “Daal” recipes. So here comes my coolest and quickest recipe ever shared.

Vibrant Ingredients

Ingredients:-

200 gms of mixed boiled lentils ( I have used chickpea, black chana, kidney beans,chana daal and dry green peas)

½ cup deseeded finely diced cucumber

2-3 finely chopped tomatoes

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 table spoon chopped ginger
½ tsp chopped and deseeded chilly
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Few sprigs of mint leaves
One cup tamarind pulp
½ cup normal sev used for garnishing and to give a crunchy bite (crisp Bengal gram salty bites)

Dry Spices Used

½ tsp dry mango powder
1tsp black salt
1/3 tsp chaat masala
Normal salt as per taste
½ tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
2-3 pinch of Hing(asafoetida)

Method:-

Churning and Mixing

The method is the simplest part of the whole recipe. Just transfer all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl before giving it a good assortment so that the aroma of spices remains intact and uniformly colored. You have to ensure that the seasoning is right and apt so I suggest you to keep tasting it before you dish out your final outcome. You will be thrilled to see the colorful final output. Just make sure you garnish it well to make it more appealing and to get that drooling effect. It is very simple but you will have to spend some time in collecting all the ingredients in the correct shape and size.

Tip: You can use rice puff along with the sev to make it crunchier! Add it just before serving.

Final colorful treat

Happy tasting and stay lean and have beans :)