Grains and legumes can separate, at least for the day

Summer is the time to start thinking about eating fewer fatty animal proteins and substituting vegetable and grain proteins, which are of course more bikini friendly.

Back in the 1970s, when I first became aware of vegetarian diets, it was believed that if you wanted to cut meat out of your life, you could compensate by eating meals that combined a legume (beans, lentils) with a grain (rice, for example).

The thinking on that has changed, and new studies have shown that you don’t actually have to eat your rice and your beans at the same time. “Your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day,� according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Complementary proteins are, basically, proteins that don’t come from meat, eggs or fish. The proteins that you get from grains and legumes are incomplete; they don’t have all 20-or-so amino acids that your body needs. Protein, as pretty much anyone knows who has been paying even the slightest bit of attention, is one of the essential fuels that keep the human body running.

What most people don’t realize is that each bit of protein is made up of a collection of amino acids (I certainly hadn’t realized that); and the human body doesn’t manufacture some of those amino acids, so to get them, you have to eat them.

Most Americans don’t need to worry too much about getting enough protein; in fact, it’s believed that most of us are getting a tad too much protein. That doesn’t mean you should be cavalier about it, and start cutting meat and other animal-based protein out of your diet without giving any thought to replacing them.

Protein is important but it’s like most other nutrients: if you eat a balanced diet, you’ll probably get enough. How much is enough? The Centers for Disease Control gives pretty wide latitude, saying that between 10 and 35 percent of your diet should be a protein. More specifically, they recommend that adult women should get about 46 grams of protein a day, adult men should get 56 grams.

In terms of serving sizes, you’ll get about 21 grams of protein from a 3-ounce piece of meat — that’s a very small serving size for an American, about half of what most people eat. A cup of yogurt has 11 grams, a glass of milk has 8 grams.

Nuts are a really good source of protein; you only have to eat two tablespoons of peanut butter or a quarter cup of almonds to get 8 grams. Beans are also of course famously good sources of protein — although you have to eat about 3 cups of beans to get as much protein as you would get from a small piece of steak.

And you’d have to eat a bunch of grain during the day as well. A cup of cooked brown rice only has about 5 grams of protein. Two slices of whole wheat bread have about 5 grams.

So,  you have to eat a lot more grains and legumes in a day to get the equivalent amount of protein that you would get in a small piece of meat. But keep in mind that those grains and legumes are also generally good for your health, and provide a variety of nutrients that you don’t necessarily get from meat.

And of course grains and legumes tend to be a little easier on the waistline.

Even though this column’s message is that you don’t have to eat your grains and legumes at the same time, this week’s recipe does in fact combine couscous (made from wheat) and black beans. If you’re like me and you hate to open a can of beans and use only half of it, Old El Paso is now selling seasoned black beans in 8-ounce resealable pouches. You can get them at most grocery stores, including of course LaBonne’s Market in Salisbury. I used Near East couscous, which has very small grains. If you use a different kind, such as the larger Israeli couscous available at Guido’s in Great Barrington, adjust the cooking to suit the size.

Black bean salad with couscous

Serves two

Adapted from “At Blanchard’s Table�

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth;  3/4 cup couscous;  pinch of salt;  2 teaspoons olive oil;  1 8-ounce package of black beans;  1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced;    1/2 shallot, peeled and minced;  1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced;  1 tablespoon rice vinegar;   3 tablespoons olive oil;   Juice of 1/4 lemon;    3 tablespoons each chopped chives and parsley;  1 tablespoon chopped cilantro;  coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring the broth, olive oil and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous and all the other ingredients.

Serve at room temperature.