Cathy Wolz
Cold and flu season might be setting in, but you can protect yourself with today’s Health-e-Recipe for Black Bean Soup with Israeli Couscous. This hot, healthy way to stoke your body with cancer-fighting protection puts onion, scallions and garlic into the mix. Along with flavor, all three contribute powerful compounds, including diallyl sulfides, found to stop cancer cell growth.
Then add some chiles, which contain capsaicin, another natural phytochemical that works against inflammation. Tomatoes’ lycopene and beans’ folate (a B vitamin) add even more naturally occurring phytochemicals to the chicken broth base (substitute vegetable broth if you prefer). Even the cilantro has cancer-fighting substances.
Couscous (pictured right) is a form of semolina wheat that originally came from Morocco and is popular throughout the Middle East. Look for it in the international grocery section — you might find its whole-wheat version, which has more fiber and phytochemicals than the regular kind. Its tiny round grains make it a refreshing change from rice and enable it to combine with the other ingredients. Traditionally, couscous is paired with chicken or lamb, dried fruit, chickpeas, root vegetables including carrots and turnips and zucchini in a cinnamon-laced broth.
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