Julie Paff, RD, LD is a clinical dietitian and nutrition education/counselor with the Seton Diabetes Education Program. She works regularly with patients to help them learn how to manage their disease with good nutrition and exercise, which are critical to success.

Julie has an interest in food history and shares some fascinating facts about popular vegetables plus adds details of their nutrient content.

'Foods with colors and aromas usually have phytochemical and antioxidant benefits. They are nutrition powerhouses. Through blending and composition, you can make sure you have a total intake of healthy nutrients at the end of the day,' says Julie. 'It's fun to learn where the foods came from originally, where they grew naturally and how they got to the United States. Each of them has a unique history.'

Check out Julie's description and recipe for Three Bean Salad that will make you look at this dish in an entirely different way. From time to time, she will share other food insights and tasty recipes with us.

History of a Recipe

We all love a quick, low-cost, healthy option as a side dish. The following recipe uses some inexpensive and healthy ingredients to serve up a refreshingly healthy and easy side dish in minutes. The recipe combines ingredients originating all over the world.

Cannellini beans are very popular in central and southern Italy. Garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) were one of the earliest cultivated vegetables, with origins likely in the Middle East. Garbanzos were not always consumed as a vegetable or side dish. In the 18th century, they were ground and brewed as a coffee substitute. Both Cannellini beans and Garbanzos are high in soluble fiber, which has been linked to lowering LDL or bad cholesterol, as well as lowering blood sugar. Cannellini beans are a great source of thiamin, a B-vitamin that is required to form neurotransmitters, so it is linked with improved cognitive function. Beans are a great source of protein as well. One cup of Garbanzo beans has as much protein as two ounces of cooked meat.

Green beans are consumed world-wide, but originated in Peru. They were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers to the New World. They are high in Vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and in increasing bone mass.

The onion has been cultivated for over 5,000 years. Egyptians laid onions at the side of fallen kings and they were used as currency to pay the pyramid builders. The Romans and Greeks loved the pungent taste of the onion. Christopher Columbus brought the onion to the New World on his travels to the Americas. The strong smell of the onion comes from a chemical, allyl propyl disulphide. This chemical makes us cry when we cut an onion and also helps lower blood sugar levels. Onions are also high in fructooligosaccharide, a pre-biotic compound that promotes healthy bacteria in our intestinal tract. Onions also contain L-glyamyl-tran-S-1-propneyl-Lcysteine sulfoxide (GPCS, for short)a protein that slows the breakdown of bone.

This recipe serves the stir-fried beans on a bed of fresh arugula, a leafy green vegetable that is prized in the Mediterranean area for its uniquely peppery flavor. In fact, on the island of Ischia in Italy, the vegetable is made into a digestive alcohol called rucolino that is popular as an after-dinner beverage, imparting a sweet and peppery finish to the meal. The glucosinolates in arugula are powerful antioxidants that protect against a number of chronic disease processes. Arugula is also rich in calcium, magnesium, manganese, and Vitamin Kall important in strengthening bones.

Even the herbs in this recipe have an interesting history and health contribution.

• Garlic was eaten by Israelites when the Giza pyramids were being built and was believed to have healing properties. The aroma of garlic comes from diallyl sulphate, associated with reducing inflammation, and allicin, which is associated with blood thinning and antimicrobial activities.
  
  
• Thyme was embroidered into the scarf of warriors departing for battle, because it was believed to enhance courage. The strong flavor of thyme is from thymol, a powerful antiseptic that you may note is an ingredient in Listerine mouthwash. Thyme has likely been unknowingly used as a natural preservative in foods for centuries.
  
  
• Parsley is the worlds most popular herb, and was grown for medicinal purposes before it was grown for its herbal flavor properties. It is the chlorophyll in parsley that makes it a natural breath freshener. Parsley is also loaded with antioxidants, including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, luteolin, and alpha-thujene.

Three-Bean Salad Recipe

Serves 6 people

Ingredients:

1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1-1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
10 ounces fresh green beans, cut in short lengths
1.5 cans (10 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cans Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
5 ounces fresh arugula
3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
4 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

• Heat the wok or frying pan until very hot.
• Add oil and swirl to coat the pan.
• Stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir-fry until soft. Stir in the thyme.
• Add the green beans and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
• Add the cannellini beans and Garbanzo beans and stir-fry until heated through.
• Line a platter or individual salad plates with arugula.
• Spoon the mixture onto the serving platter.
• Sprinkle with the parsley and drizzle with lemon juice to serve.

Nutritional Information:

1 serving provides 208 calories, 25 gm carbohydrate, 8 gm protein, 9 gm fat, 267 mg sodium, and 7.5 gm dietary fiber

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Total Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Julie Paff, RD, LD
Seton Diabetes Education Center
5555 North Lamar Blvd., Building D, Suite 125
Austin, TX 78751

Phone: (512) 324-1891

Julie sees patients at Seton Medical Center Williamson and Seton Southwest Hospital. She has worked in nutrition education her entire career with a focus on diabetes and chronic disease management. She has a special interest in all aspects of diabetes management, heart disease, chronic disease management, with particular interest in Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes. She is accepting new patients.

Seton Diabetes Education Program

Seton Diabetes Education Program empowers individuals with diabetes to manage their disease over the course of a lifetime. Program participants can expect to learn skills and self-management strategies to manage blood sugar and reduce the risk of complications with the changing needs of disease management.

Please contact us if you have questions or would like to learn more about the program at (512) 324-1891 or email diabeteseducation@seton.org.