The trick?  Soak them! Soaking your beans or lentils overnight in cold water makes them much more easy to digest.  Just remember to drain and rinse them in fresh water before using them.

Another help is to add seaweed like Kombu to beans or legumes to make them more digestible, and it is a great way to add seasoning as well as a healthy dose of iodine, essential for a healthy thyroid!

Try this red lentil stew. The spices in it like cumin and ginger also help aid in digestion. Cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon help reduce those cravings!  Cinnamon is an awesome spice that helps regulate your blood sugar. Turmeric is an amazing spice that reduces inflammation in the body.

 Red Lentil Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamon
2 onions, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 carrots peeled and chopped medium
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cups water
1 14oz. can coconut milk
1 four inch strip Kombu seaweed
1 pound red lentils, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
4 to 6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
sea salt and pepper
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamon, and red pepper and swirl until fragrant, 1 minute.  Add onions, garlic, carrots, and ginger and saute until onion is softened, about 8 minutes.  Place in slow cooker along with water, coconut milk, kombu, and lentils and stir.
2. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 5 hours.
3. Stir in tomatoes and peas. Cover and cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in cilantro.
4. Serve

*recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution