Poor beans. Many people pass them up because they're not a fan of the squishy texture or their gaseous repercussions. But these inexpensive magical legumes are so healthy for you, between their fiber, protein, and iron content, everyone should include them in their diet. If you're having trouble stomaching a bowl of beans, you can still reap the healthy benefits without your taste buds even realizing it. Appeal to your sweet tooth and try out these dessert recipes, all made with the goodness of protein- and fiber-loaded beans.
The best part about this delicious dessert is the edible chocolate cup you serve it in!
Yep, there are chickpeas in these delicious doughnuts, adding protein, fiber, and a satisfying softness.
For 140 calories, each vegan and gluten-free two-inch square offers over five grams of fiber and 5.8 grams of protein. Just forget it's made with lentils because I swear on Grandma's cookie recipe that no one will be able to tell.
Would you believe these strawberries are filled with velvety chocolate mousse that's vegan? Aside from cutting back on calories and saturated fat, they're also made with good-for-you ingredients like silken tofu and chickpeas.
The creamy texture and robust flavor of this chocolate hummus made with chickpeas will appeal to anyone's taste buds, and you'll wonder if you'll ever be able to eat fruit alone again.
If you loved adding spinach to your brownies for extra nutrition, you'll love this healthy twist as well. Bake up a batch of these Legendary Black Bean Brownies from Mmm...Is For Mommy, made with — you guessed it — black beans. Aside from bursting with fiber, protein, and chocolatey flavor, they're also gluten-free!
These traditional oatmeal raisin cookies are made with pureed cannellini (white kidney) beans and peanut butter, giving these treats a moist and chewy texture. Enjoy two cookies for 220 calories, and also get 3.6 grams of fiber and 5.8 grams of protein.
What's great about smoothies is that you can hide just about any healthy ingredient in your glass, and the sweetness of the fruit disguises the flavor. Try this protein-packed recipe:
1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup cannellini beans
6 oz. vanilla yogurt
The beans add five grams of fiber and six grams of protein!
It's easy to whip up your own fruit popsicles, but these have an added twist — adzuki beans. Add these ingredients to a blender:
1 cup adzuki beans
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sliced strawberries
Puree until smooth, distribute into popsicle molds, and after five or so hours, enjoy a fruity, protein- and fiber-packed frozen treat.