Food for Today ©2010

Chapter 31: Legumes, Nuts, & Seeds

Chapter Summary

Legumes are nutrient-rich foods that come from plants with seed pods. Beans, peas, and lentils are all legumes. They should be selected carefully and stored properly for optimum quality. Convenience forms of legumes are easy to use. After proper preparation, legumes can be cooked using several methods. Tofu is made from soybeans. It comes in three textures and is easy to store and use in cooking. Nuts are edible kernels surrounded by hard shells. They offer many nutrients, come in different forms, and are very versatile. Seeds are the edible, dried kernels of plants. Like nuts, they can be used in numerous ways.