My sister used to tell this joke when we were kids: “Why did the Irishman only put 239 beans into his soup?” “Because if he were to put in one more, it would be 2 farty.”

By the way guys, when I was twelve, I found that joke HYSTERICAL. Like, hold up, when is the comedy tour because I need to hear more of these gems.

I think the joke well illustrates why beans get a bad rap. There is, of course, some truth to the joke because beans are a fiber-packed food. White beans (the kind I used in this recipe) have approximately one gram of fiber per ounce and some other beans contain even more.

To increase the digestibility of beans you can discard the canning liquid and rinse the beans well. If you’re not planning on cooking the beans, mashing or blending them will help. Also, as most Americans do not eat enough fiber, slowly increasing the amount of fiber in your diet will aid you in building a better tolerance for beans and other fiber-dense foods.

Beans show up on nearly every superfood list not only because they are rich in fiber, but because they are full of protein and a host of nutrients; you can check out the many health benefits of beans here.

This white bean dip and spiced pita chips would make a great Superbowl snack (and you can make it a day ahead so you can focus all of your gameday energy on lifting your beer).

White Bean Dip and Spiced Pita Chips

Makes 48 pita chips and approximately 2 cups of bean dip 

White Bean Dip

Ingredients

1 15.5 ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 turns freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a food processor for one minute. Scrape into bowl. Garnish with a few dashes of paprika or chili powder.

Spiced Pita Chips

Ingredients

3 whole wheat pitas
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice one pita pocket in half and then separate each half so that you have four semi-circles. Cut each semi-circle in half and then in half again so that you end up with 16 triangles. Repeat for the remaining pitas.

In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. In batches, dip the pita slices into the oil mixture and rub each slice to coat. Alternatively, you can coat each slice with a brush that was dipped into the oil mixture.

Arrange all pita slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.

The pita chips will crisp up even more as they cool so it’s best to make the chips ahead of time.

If making the day before, store the chips unrefrigerated in an airtight container and the dip refrigerated in an airtight container. Remove the dip an hour or two before serving and stir well.

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