Food for Thought : Beans and Spinach

                          

Beans                                                                     Spinach

     Iron is an essential mineral that your body uses to help make energy . Even though iron is available in a variety of foods , many people still do not get enough iron  on a daily basis. About 20% of ladies , 50% of pregnant ladies  and 3% of men do not get enougt iron . Iron in food comes in two forms . Heme iron is found in foods such as meat , fish and poultry and is used the most effectively by your body . 

     Non-heme iron found in plant foods such as spinach and beans . Here are few tips to help you get more  iron in your diet .

1 .  Add spinach and beans to your salads . Or try some sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds instead of croutons in a salad .

2 .  Check the nutrition facts label for foods that have been enriched with iron or may be sources of iron that you wouldn't expect . Typically foods like pasta , bread and rice have some iron in them . If you eat breakfast cereals , look for those that are enriched with iron . 

3 .  If you are having trouble with iron from food sources , you may need to speak to your doctor about getting your blood levels checked and possibly an iron supplement .

Sautéed Spinach with White Beans and Pine Nuts

This side dish is a fine partner for roast pork or fish. For a simple vegetarian meal for two, serve a larger portion topped with a poached or fried egg. If you can’t find small white beans, you can use cannellini beans. 

2         tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; more for garnish 

2        tablespoons  pine nuts 

1        large clove garlic, thinly sliced 

1        15.5-oz. can small white beans, rinsed and drained 

1        pound  fresh spinach, trimmed and washed 

          Kosher salt 

1/2    cup lightly packed fresh basil (about 15 leaves), thinly sliced 

1       tablespoon  finely grated lemon zest 

        Freshly ground black pepper 

1 .  Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the pine nuts are golden and the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

2 .  Add the spinach and 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil, lemon zest, and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve.

Words of Wisdom

“If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.” 

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

We don't develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.

A proud grand-poppa               G.