Beans are an excellent vegan source of protein, fiber, and a large variety of bone-healthy vitamins and minerals. The only drawback is that most beans are acidifying, except for one.
Fortunately, that single alkalizing type of bean offers a whopping 12 different Foundation Supplements, alongside a bevy of other important nutrients. Even better, this bean has remarkable versatility.
We'll take advantage of this today with two delicious 100% alkalizing recipes that incorporate this bean instead of flour to make bone-healthy brownies and no-bake chocolate balls. You have to try it to believe it!
The Power Of Lima Beans
Lima beans, a classification that includes what some regions call butter beans, are named for the city of Lima in Peru. This healthy legume has been a staple food there for more than 6,000 years.
That bodes well for the people of Lima because these beans are packed with vitamins and minerals.
Here are 15 bone-building nutrients you'll find in one cup of cooked lima beans:
- Calcium*: 50mg
- Molybdenum: 142 mcg
- Magnesium*: 81mg
- Zinc*: 1.79mg
- Copper*: 0.442mg
- Potassium: 955mg
- Vitamin B1* (Thiamine): .303mg
- Vitamin B2* (Riboflavin): .103mg
- Vitamin B3* (Niacin): 0.791mg
- Vitamin B5* (Pantothenic Acid): 0.793mg
- Vitamin B6*: .303mg
- Vitamin B9* (Folate): 156mcg
- Vitamin K*: 3.8mcg
- Manganese*: .97mg
- Phosphorus: 209mg
*Foundation Supplement
Synopsis
Lima beans, sometimes known as butter beans, are packed with vitamins and minerals, including 12 Foundation Supplements.
How To Buy Your Beans
Lima beans don't lose any of the nutritional value when canned, however, most cans have an interior lining that contains Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic form of the hormone estrogen. It easily breaks down and enters foods, making its way into our bodies where it can cause health problems. So make sure that you only get the cans that don’t contain BPA.
If you prefer, you can cook dried beans. When selecting your beans, make sure they are relatively uniform in shape and size. Most likely they'll be sold in a plastic bag — when you get home put them in a glass container before storing them in your freezer or pantry.
One convenient thing about frozen beans is that you don't need to thaw them before cooking, but make sure you soak them in cold water overnight to reduce the indigestible sugars that cause flatulence.
Synopsis
You can get canned (always select BPA-free cans), dried, or frozen lima beans. Store your dried or frozen beans in a glass container in your pantry or freezer. You can cook frozen beans right out of the freezer. Soak dried beans in cold water overnight before cooking.
Two Lima Bean Bolstered Desserts
When you think of baking desserts, you probably don’t think of beans. Today's recipes are going to change that forever. In many cultures, beans have been used as the base for dessert for centuries. Now you can take advantage of the nutritional power of lima beans while you satisfy your sweet tooth!
Better-For-Bones Blond Brownies
100% Alkalizing
10 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked lima beans
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia powder or monk fruit sweetener (adjust to desired sweetness)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 + 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and spread oil on an 8×8 baking dish.
- Use a blender or food processor to puree the lima beans until they form a smooth paste.
- Add almond butter, honey, stevia, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bean mixture and process for about 10-15 seconds until the mixture is well combined. Fold in 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips.
- Place the batter in a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick comes out clean.
No-Bake Protein Chocolate Balls
100% Alkalizing
10 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup lima beans, cooked
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1/2 cup whey protein
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoons stevia powder or monk fruit sweetener (adjust to desired sweetness)
- 2 tablespoons almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy creamer)
- Slivered almonds for topping (optional)
Directions:
- In a blender or food processor blend all ingredients until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Roll the mixture into 10 balls and coat with slivered almonds, if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before consuming.
What This Means To You
If you appreciate creative, bone-healthy variations on comforting classics, then you should definitely check out the Save Institute's cookbook and meal planner Bone Appetit. It has more inventive recipes like these, alongside simple and easy-to-follow recipes for dishes that have always been bone-friendly.
Every meal of your day has the ability to be satisfying, exciting, and bone-healthy. You should look forward to meals, both as a cook and as a diner. Food is one of the foremost ways we take care of ourselves and each other, so take the time to make eating enjoyable and nourishing every day.
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Study Unveils Critical Nutrients For Preventing Sarcopenia And Improving Bone HealthComments on this article are closed.
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Glory, would you share this recipe for brownies as well! Sounds great!
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Glory, quinoa is a good choice as a bean replacement. I would replace the sugar with stevia or another bone-healthy sweetener and the butter with coconut oil or a vegan version. Also, make sure the chocolate chips are dairy-free and the salt you’ll use is sea salt.
Enjoy!
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Hi Vivian,
These look like excellent recipes, and I can’t wait to try them. One concern for me is the use of the term “Stevia”. I have a “100% Pure Extract Powder”, and 3/4 of a teaspoon of that sounds like an awful lot of sweetness. I notice that a lot of products, which call themselves “Stevia”, contain only like 5% m10% of pure Stevia, together with other non-sugar sweeteners. Which type of Stevia are you referring to?
Rehards,
James Matthews-
I’m glad you find the recipes appealing, James! We use regular stevia powder, not the extract, and you can most certainly adjust the quantity to your taste 🙂
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Your recipes look soo delicious. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the majority of the imgredients. Any recipes that do not contain, nuts, eggs, legumes? I do eat a lot of seeds and am non-dairy, GF due to all my sensitivities.
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There are many recipes here at saveourbones.com, Maureen, and you can do a search by clicking the Search icon at the top right of this page. Let us know if you need further assistance. We’ll be delighted to help you!
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Why do none of the recipes contain nutritional information? Many look good but I wouldn’t make them without having that information.
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Lou, at the Save Institue we focus on healthy pH-balanced foods that contain nutrient-rich, bone-healthy ingredients and low sugar rather than on caloric content and other macronutrients.
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I absolutely love steamed lima beans with butter and (a little) salt and pepper. Before the virus pandemic I searched in vain for them in the frozen food section of our local grocery store but to no avail. I wish I could get them again. Maybe a health food store would have them. Thanks for the informative article and intriquing recipe!
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You can get dried lima beans and boil them. It’s especially easy if you have a slow cooker. Enjoy!
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Vivian, I am allergic to Stevia. Could you offer another choice for sweetener.
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Pam, you can try erythritol or xylitol instead of stevia.
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All I can say is “yum”! I’m trying to follow a pH-balanced diet and these desserts will help me stay on it. Thanks so much Vivian!
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Sure, anytime! Enjoy, Barbara 🙂
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What are calorie, nutrition values of these two “Lima bean” desserts?
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Elizabeth, at the Save Institute we focus on the pH balance and quality of ingredients rather than on the calories and nutritional values.
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The recipes are occasionally unclear to me.
Example: 3/4 teaspoons stevia powder.
Question: Is that supposed to mean
3 to 4 teaspoons
3 – 4 teaspoonsOR. 3 fourths of a teaspoon
I would appreciate a reply!
Thanks …
Amy-
Amy, when we write 3/4, that number represents three-quarters (or three-fourths) of a teaspoon. Enjoy the recipes!
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I would’ve never thought of using beans for sweets! The recipes sound delicious. I’ll try them for sure. Thank you, Vivian!
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The recipes are occasionally unclear to me.
Example: 3/4 teaspoons stevia powder.
Question: Is that supposed to mean
3 to 4 teaspoons
3 – 4 teaspoonsOR. 3 fourths of a teaspoon
I would appreciate a reply!
Thanks …
Amy-
Although this does not sound good but a great dessert is 1/2 cup ricotta, vanilla and stevia to taste and either lemon rind or 5 choc chips.
However, Vivian, is this a good alkaline dessert? Not sure
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You’re welcome!
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I tried the blondies made with lima beans. They were okay.
I have another recipe for blondies that uses ground-up quinoa as the flour. (I grind the dry quinoa in a clean coffee bean grinder.) Other ingredients include butter, almond butter, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips.
Would these ingredients be considered okay for bones? Or should some of these ingredients be substituted for something else to make it more bone-friendly?
Thank you.