Fast, Cheap and Easy

Cheap, easy and ready for a good time!  I love that in a dish.  Black beans are one of my on-hand "fast foods" that are packed full of fiber and protein.  Both qualities are hunger busters and help regulate the body's glucose levels during the day, which means the metabolism will operate at top speed.  Black beans are often a popular meat substitute among vegetarians or individuals looking for an alternate source of protein, iron and manganese.

The soluble fiber in black beans binds with bile acids and carries them from the body before they can become (que dramatic dun dun dunnnnn) cholesterol. Also great for the digestive system as the insoluble fiber contained in black beans gives the whole digestive tract a good workout to help fight constipation, diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome.

There really should be theme music I can queue: enter super-hero antioxidant, fighter of free radicals.  Black beans are high in anthocyanins, the same ones found in blueberries. If you didn't already guess, the darker the bean, the higher it may be in antioxidants.  So this tiny legume is yet another powerful nutritional weapon in the fight against cancer and the aging process. 

I prefer to cook my own beans because one pound bag of dry black beans equals three 15 oz cans.  Dried are also easier on the budget, and the taste and texture of the beans are far superior.  I do keep canned beans in the pantry for when I am pressed for time but I will note dried black beans fare better in long cooking dishes.  Canned beans do best in chili or in salads.

I was uncertain about using dried beans, but thankfully my mom is the ultimate encourager and family expert on cooking.  Now I encourage everyone to try the switch.  It's fabulous when you have a pressure cooker, but crock pots are excellent for cooking dried beans.  I like knowing what is in my food and controlling the amount of sodium that goes into them, and I love saving money and reducing the amount of waste - both of food and packaging.

Pour the entire bag of dried beans into a colander and rinse under cold water. If you see any beans that have broken in half, or skin that floats to the surface, get rid of it. Also pick out any beans that look shriveled.  Dump all the beans into a crockpot and add enough water to cover all the beans and then add about two inches.  Cover but do not turn on: just let the beans soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

If you live in a very warm area like I do, and you are frugal with air conditioning like I am, put the stoneware in the fridge to keep bacteria from growing.  In the morning, dump the water, and rinse your beans. The water will be stained from the beans.  NOTE: if you are using red or kidney beans, you need to boil your beans rapidly on the stove for at least 10 minutes to kill a possible toxin lurking in the beans. It's better to be safe than sorry!

Put the beans back into your crockpot and cover with enough fresh water to completely cover the beans with an extra 2-3 inches. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  The beans are done when they are bite-tender. Drain the beans allow to cool.  Once cool, put 1 2/3 cups of beans into storage containers or freezer bags - you're adding this amount because you aren't adding filler-liquid like the cans have. The beans will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 6 months.  Use as you would canned beans in your favorite recipe.