South Pasadena Farmer's Market

Last week I went to the South Pasadena Farmer's Market with a friend. Honestly, it had been a little while since I'd been to a farmer's market, so I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the beautiful produce and exciting food possibilities sitting before me.

After wandering around, sampling delectable goodies and chatting with my friend, we picked up some dinner from a stand and sat down to enjoy it together.

One of the items I picked out was some fresh, organic lima beans. I've always been sucker for lima beans. These were plump and super fresh.

Here's a simple recipe for lima beans.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh lima beans

1 lemon

1/2 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Place the beans in a pot with water that sits about an inch above the beans. Bring to a boil and vigorously simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Strain the beans and place into a serving bowl. In a separate bowl mix the juice of the lemon with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the beans and gently stir to coat each bean.

Brown rice and salmon would complete this dish nicely or just eat as a snack.

Health Benefits:

Lima Beans

Lima beans are high in fiber and a good source of protein, potassium, iron and folate. They also make a good food for detoxifying from sulfites which are found in preservatives often used in salad bars. Lima beans are also known to contribute to heart health because of their fiber, magnesium and folate levels.

P.S. Please do not eat lima beans raw as uncooked limas contain chemical compounds that can mess with the body. When cooked these compounds are no longer a risk.