From Brekkie to Dessert, These Bean Recipes are Delish, Filling, and Filled with Protein!

From Brekkie to Dessert, These Bean Recipes are Delish, Filling, and Filled with Protein!

December 24, 2017 Shelley Hopper

Did you know January 6th is #NationalBeanDay? Yeah, there really is a national day for everything, isn't there?! We're celebrating early with a blog post dedicated to just that....B E A N S.

While they may be the magical fruit, beans are also a great source of protein as well as packed with vitamins and minerals. Beans are really affordable and can be used in many different dishes, from appetizers, dinner dishes, and even desserts! (Yes, really; and you'd never know!) Beans are high in antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc, and eating them regularly may decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colon/rectal cancer, and helps with weight management (Google, 2017). So, today, we're rounding up all our favorite bean recipes, incorporating them into dishes that will blow. your. mind. (like blondies!) AND, although most of these recipes are either vegan or vegetarian since the main ingredient is beans, you can most definitely be a meat-eater and love these just the same!

Tired of the same 'ol breakfast options? Same here! How good do these brekkie toastadas by Kim's Cravings look?! Packed with tons of protein from beans + eggs, and omega 3s from egg + avocado, this is one balanced meal that will keep you fuller, longer, and satisfy your taste buds!

Burgers and veggie burgers are not just for lunch or dinner anymore; store bought brands can be packed with 239487 ingredients you cannot pronounce, so why not make your own?! These vegetarian-friendly gems made by Happy Food, Healthy Life, are SO GOOD. And pretty easy! Find them here.

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Buddha bowls may have overtaken the Instagram styling and blogging scene in 2017, but we know they're a trend that's not going anywhere (and are thrilled about it), because there are SO many different combos of ingredients you can throw in, and it's basically like a fridge clean-out savior. This sweet potato, squash, and kale Buddha bowl by The Girl on Bloor is making our stomachs growl...find the recipe here.

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It doesn't matter if it's the middle of winter or spring, I love soup all seasons of the year (except when it's like 100 in the summer, of course!) This soup is hearty, flavorful, and full of vitamins and minerals from veggies and beans. Get this Creamy Roasted Garlic White Bean Soup by Veggie and the Beast Feast here.

You don't have to be a vegetarian to fall in love with bean burgers, especially if they're made by Martha Stewart. Try this delicious Pinto Bean Burger recipe by Martha Stewart here.

You're really going to want to judge me for the following sentence: the only Salisbury steak I've ever had was out of a Weight Watcher's frozen meal. SICK, RIGHT?! Oh, If I could go back to the college Shelley and tell her allllll the things now about healthy eating and the fact that it is NOT about counting calories or eating "healthy" frozen meals...eek. So, if you're like me and either haven't heard of Salisbury steak, or have only eaten it out of aisle 9 at Target, try this recipe by Rabbit and Wolves...

Before I was on the clean-eating band-wagon, if you would've told me you could make blondies out of beans, I

1. Wouldn't have believed you

2. Probably would have thrown up (just keeping it real!)

But, then I (very reluctantly) tried this recipe because I had like 4 random cans of grabanzo beans in my pantry. I added M&Ms, because...balance. And holy sh%^ they were actually REALLY REALLY GOOD. I'm actually still shocked with myself that these are still one of my favorite recipes to make. If you have a dairy allergy, my tip: Use Enjoy Life chocolate chips!

Find the recipe for these Chickpea Blondies here via Ambitious Kitchen: