Trade-Up Tuesday: “Perfect” Beans
Hello Everyone! Welcome to Trade-Up Tuesday, the best day here on A Better Bag of Groceries because I tell you about a Trade-Up I’ve made and I give away something for free. Today, it’s all about beans. Not just any beans, mind you. These are beans that score 100 on the NuVal scale. Yes, you read that right – Eden Organic Pinto, Aduki and Navy Beans all score a 100 on the NuVal scale. My husband loved this photo, which I snatched as the sun was rising in our backyard. He felt that it made the beans look as though they came from heaven.
You know, one of the most popular posts I ever wrote was about The Beans That Scored 100. When I saw that score on the shelf at Price Chopper, I couldn’t believe my eyes!
So, I had to write about it and that is when I found that a lot of ABBG readers are passionate about beans. Y’all wrote in with a lot of great recipes that day.
Writing about beans reminds me of a song my mom taught me when I was little:
Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel
Now you’re ready for another meal!
There are other versions of that catchy tune, but I think that is the cleanest of the bunch!
I am a big fan of beans, especially chick peas, dark red kidney beans, and black beans. And I’m always looking for something new to try. But the thing about canned beans is that their scores really vary depending on what (besides the beans) have been added to that can. For example, these Eden Organic Navy Beans score a 100, but Goya Navy Beans only score a 65! Likewise, you could choose the Eden Organic Pinto Beans for a score of 100 or Bush’s Best Pinto Beans for a 56!
The 100 score (usually reserved for foods like spinach) really piqued my interest. I checked in with Rachel Rodek, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD and Manager of Nutrition Communications for NuVal. She said that normally Pinto beans would score a 93, but these canned beans score a perfect 100 because of the addition of kombu seaweed in the ingredients. Seaweed is high in flavonoids, plant pigments that also provide health benefits. How cool is that?
To Enter:
One lucky reader will win all three cans of Perfect-Score Beans. To enter, just leave a comment below, telling me your favorite Bean. I’ll choose one winner at random. The contest closes at 10 am Wednesday Eastern Time. Good Luck! I really should throw in a bottle of Beano, too – dont’cha think?
Posted by: Melissa 56 comments
Posted in: Pinto Beans
Tags: Aduki Beans, Eden Organic, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 7:36 am
My favorite is garbanzo beans and I was so excited to find fresh ones at whole foods the other day and now am curious why canned ones are brown but fresh are grreen
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 7:44 am
My favorite is the chickpea
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 7:47 am
I have to say my favorite type of bean is the chickpea, too. Great for salad toppers and my beloved hummus.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Roasted chickpeas!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:17 am
I really like navy beans, delish in cold salads
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Black beans! Add them to Mexican fare or turn them into a cold salad. Or even use them in salsa. Love the black bean.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Black beans, either pureed to make dip or mixed with mangoes, tomatoes and cilantro to make a fresh salsa
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:44 am
My fav beans are Black Beans….
Eden Organic cans are BPA free does that enter into the Nuval score?
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:46 am
My fav are definitely black beans..in salads, soups, on their own..I can’t get enough of ‘em!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I’ve been obsessed with beans lately! But I’d have to say my very favorite are black beans.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:54 am
i love the chick pea for sure! great giveaway melissa
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:57 am
I am in love with black beans. I am enjoying finding ways to incorporate them into my meals.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:03 am
i love black beans!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Black beans by far…we eat a lot of Mexican food and these are the best!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:09 am
I love chick and pinto beans! yummy!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I don’t know why, but pinto beans are my latest obsession! they’re so creamy! Delicious whole, but easy to mash, too.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Chickpeas are my fave!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:15 am
I absolutely love beans. All varieties!!! Top favorites are pinto, black and garbanzo. I usually cook my own (so economical), but it’s good to know which ones to look out for at the grocery store for the canned variety. I always keep canned beans on hand for emergencies!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Mine would be a toss up between chick peas and black beans. I am trying to branch out and try new varieties though!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:18 am
My favorite is the chickpea. I use them hot and cold, in soups and salads etc.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I really like black beans, they are so versatile
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:23 am
My favorite beans are edamame…is that considered a bean?? I love eating them out of the pod, or in salads & soups!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:30 am
I absolutely LOVE black beans…actually had them for lunch AND dinner yesterday!!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Love black beans in salsa!!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Chick peas are great on their own or in recipes
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Black beans are my favorite!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 10:00 am
I like chickpeas and lentils!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 10:29 am
I made a great dinner last night with navy beans and rice with creamy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil… so good and so filling!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 10:53 am
My favorite beans are garbanzos because they are so good on their own, but also as an ingredient or subsitute. For some reason I find myself peeling them, which is tricky because they sometimes go astray. This taught me that they make a good snack for dogs
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Black beans are my favorite! I think they’re delicious with rice, chicken, guacamole… anything!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 11:03 am
I love, love, love black beans!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Black beans are the best!!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Gotta love the pinto beans! Using some in enchaladas tonight!!!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
My favorite is black beans… love me some mexican food!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
My favorite is definitely black beans!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I’m impressed too by the 100 NuVal score, and I’ve never seen adzuki beans in a can before, I’d love to try them! My favorite beans are black beans and black-eyes peas
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Black Beans!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
I love chick peas! They’re great in pasta dishes, soups, and perfectly complete a healthy salad.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
I just added black beans to my leftover brown rice for lunch — what a coinkidinky . . .
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
I love chick peas. I toast them and throw them on my salads. Delish!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
do baked beans count?
if not, definitely black beans – they are so versatile!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I love kidney beans! Mashed bean sandwiches are the best! I will take the beano too.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I love all beans but if I had to choose one it would be white kidney beans. Put them in the food processor with olive oil, lemon juice and ground pepper it makes the best dip or spread for a sandwich, plus they are a great addition to soups.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
My favorite beans are baked beans (but what kind are those?) because we just discovered that Greedy Baby loves them. SO! we gotta stock up on some more beans. STAT!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
My favorite beans are chickpeas. I love hummus and roasted the best.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
O’my It is hard for me to pick just one bean. I love them all!! I really enjoy baked beans, pinto beans, green beans, kidney beans…need I say more! Send me some beans to gobble up and I will be ever so thankful! P.S. Your site is AWESOME!!!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
You can’t go wrong with garbanzos, so I’d have to name them my favorite bean. Especially ground up in hummus, or cold atop a salad…..mmmmmmmmmm
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Black beans, for sure!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
black beans are my absolute favorite!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Tough choice, but I think garbanzos are my favorite because they are so versatile. Salads, hummus, soups, etc.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I love all beans! My favorite, though, is black beans.
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
My favorite beans are black beans!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Roasted chickpeas!
on Apr 20th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
black beans all the way!!!
but honestly, all beans taste great!
on Apr 21st, 2010 at 9:32 am
black and garbanzo beans are my favorite!!
on Apr 21st, 2010 at 8:14 pm
black beans all the way…Mexican goodness!!!