This easy bean salad is loaded with fiber and Tex-Mex flavor
Today’s recipe for Tex-Mex Bean Salad is a fiber fiesta. It’s a three-bean salad spiced up with Tex-Mex flavors, then tossed with fresh veggies, scooped into individual lettuce cups and topped with avocado.
Fiber is the part of a plant that is not digested by the body, and it’s important for our health.
But most Americans eat only about half the recommended amount of dietary fiber. For adults younger than 50, the fiber recommendations are 30-38 grams for men and 21-25 grams for women. Men older than 50 should eat 30 grams of fiber, and women should be getting 21 grams.
Including more fiber in your diet may be easier than you think, especially when you consider all the health benefits.
Lowers cholesterol levels
Controls blood sugar levels
Promotes a healthy weight
Lowers the risk of heart disease and many cancers
Regulates and promotes healthy bowel function
Provides a full feeling, longer
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can be dissolved in water, creating a gel that helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Foods high in soluble fiber include oats, apples, citrus fruit, beans and peas.
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Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. The bulkiness of insoluble fiber helps to promote normal and regular movement of the digestive system. Some foods high in insoluble fiber include whole wheat, nuts, green beans, cauliflower and other vegetables.
To incorporate fiber-rich foods into your diet, slowly add small amounts and drink plenty of water to avoid digestive issues.
Making our Tex-Mex Bean Salad is an easy way to begin eating more fiber. Simply assemble all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors merge. Then scoop and serve. One serving of this salad provides 8 grams of fiber.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today’s recipe, email HenryFordLiveWell@hfhs.org.
Tex-Mex Bean Salad
Serves: 12 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes plus chilling time
15-ounce can no-salt-added kidney beans
15-ounce can no-salt-added black beans
15-ounce can no-salt-added cannellini beans
15-ounce can no-salt-added corn
1 cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heads lettuce (Bibb or baby romaine)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Drain and rinse the kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans and corn, and place in a large bowl. Add cucumber, red and green bell peppers, and onion. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to mix well.
In a small bowl, combine garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, cilantro, and olive oil. Whisk all ingredients until blended. Pour dressing over bean mixture and stir to coat the beans well. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Wash the lettuce, carefully peel off the leaves into cups; pat dry and set aside. To serve, spoon 1 cup of bean salad into lettuce cups. Garnish with diced avocado.
From Henry Ford LiveWell.
176 calories (29% from fat), 6 grams fat (0.5 grams sat. fat), 25 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 159 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 69 mg calcium, 8 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 5 vegetable, 1 ½ fat.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tex-Mex Bean Salad is easy to make and loaded with fiber
