Nuts are fairly similar in caloric content -- you can look up the
specifics.  All are high in calories, and all provide good fats.  You
do need to eat them mindfully.  Until recently, when I decided to
relax the measurement stuff, I weighed out the portion of nuts I
wanted, or if away from home I counted the nuts I ate and used the
info on the can to try to be sure it was the right portion.  I've
stopped weighing stuff, but I have developed a pretty good feeling for
portion size, and if I eat nuts it's usually about 1 oz.  You're right
that nuts have enough calories to make up a small meal or snack.

I'm not really a huge fan of beans, so have never made much effort to
"work them into my diet".  I don't know that they're necessary to a
healthy diet, though they're a reasonable protein source now and
again.  I just make sure to watch the portions if I eat them (and
counted the calories when I was in weight-loss mode).  They're not an
"almost free" veggie like broccoli or whatever.

Chris
262/130s/130s

Nuts typically have far more calories per ounce than beans. Check out
http://www.calorieking.com/foods/

Beans typically have 25-35 calories per ounce while nuts come in at
over 150 calories per ounce. I eat a lot of beans on my diet. Very
filling, don't taste too bad when you get used to them, and the
'gas'... well, it's worth it in my case. :)

I'm a vegetarian, so my protein sources are nuts/seeds, beans/pulses, grains
and dairy.  In order to achieve a lower calorie count when dieting I limit
the nuts very severely, eating very few, watch the dairy and grains
carefully, but find that bean protein sources are pretty good.  Try cooking
your beans into a dish, not having them as an item alone.  Here's a recipe
to get you started:

Polygardoo

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp bouillon powder
4 oz mushrooms
1 green pepper
14 oz tin tomatoes
14 oz tin cannellini beans
pinch oregano/sage/thyme
small carton natural yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Chop the onion and crush the garlic.  Dissolve the bouillon powder in a
little hot water.  Cook the onion and garlic in the bouillon till softened a
little.

Wipe and chop the mushrooms.  Add to the onion mix and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile chop the green pepper.  Add to the pan with the tomatoes, beans,
herbs and seasoning to taste, but undersalt to compensate for lemon juice to
be added later.  Mix well and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Remove from the
heat and stir in the lemon juice.  Put a dollop of yogurt on each serving.

Serves 2 normal appetites, or 3 dieters servings.

Serve with pitta bread, rice or pasta.  (For dieters weigh pasta and rice,
as they have a lot of calories, so I'd recommend a pitta.)
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