Recipe: Breakfast beans made fresh
High protein diets are all over the internet, boasting benefits such as increased satiety, weight loss, improved muscle mass, balanced blood sugar, better mood…the list goes on. But not all protein is created equal, and incorporating protein into breakfast can be challenging especially if you don’t eat meat or are trying to follow Ayurvedic principles such as avoiding cold food (out go the protein smoothies), fermented foods (there goes cheese and yogurt) or processed foods (say bye to bacon and tinned beans).
There are also limitations to being over focused on protein and forgetting that carbohydrates, good quality fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals are also equally important. Protein is a complex food, and from the Ayurvedic perspective can be taxing on the digestive system because is has more kapha (earth and water) qualities. This is part of why it keeps us fuller for longer, but many modern guts cannot tolerate excessive protein, especially when it is largely from animal sources. Excess protein taxes and liver and kidneys, causes dehydration because the gut has to secrete a lot of fluid to break down the protein, and is not a good idea for people with sensitive stomachs, irritable bowel issues and bacterial overgrowth.
The good news is that incorporating protein into breakfast is neither a new idea, nor a Western one. In fact, many cultures incorporated protein into many different meals including dessert! In the recipe below, I share one of my favourite breakfast dishes which I would argue is balanced in its protein, while still being easy to digest, flavourful and vegetarian. Its a play on a South Indian dessert called payasam, but without the sugar!
Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked black eyes peas
1 tblsp coconut oil
1 inch cinnamon
1 inch grated ginger
2-3 green cardamom pods, split
2 tbls nuts of your choice
1/4 tsp mineral salt
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tsp raisins
1/4 cup cooked rice/rice flakes (optional)
Method
Heat oil in a flat pan.
Saute the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom pods and nuts until fragrant.
Add the mineral salt and coconut milk; bring to a simmer.
Add raisins and black eyes peas, cook on low heat to mix for 5 minutes and avoid the coconut milk from boiling.
Switch off the heat, then add the cooked rice/ rice flakes and mix through.
Serve warm on a cool morning or on your next workout day to get a boost of energy!
How to prepare fresh black eyes peas:
Soak the peas in water overnight, and the next morning either boil for 40 minutes or put in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles/15-20 minutes. Peas should be tender but still formed after cooking.
Did you know that we can build protein by consuming a balanced diet? Leafy greens, legumes, seeds, grains, dairy and nuts all contribute to building protein. That’s how herbivores and vegetarians build protein, so don’t stress about eating protein to make protein - the math of the body is much more complex!
