In this economy, you have to save where you can. But we believe in still eating delicious food. As such, beans are a staple around our house. There are several variations, but we're providing our base recipe here:
Ingredients:
- 4 cups pinto beans
- 3 beef buillion cubes
- 1 oz bacon fat (not the drippings, but strips of it)
- 2 tsp. comino/cumin
- 1/4 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalepeno pepper, sliced in half long-wise
This couldn't be easier. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, and cover with water. Let it cook on low for about 8 hours, or until the beans are easily pierced with a fork. Pick out the onion and bacon bits, as they don't mash very well.
You can eat them "as is" or you can refry them in a pan. Pour the beans and liquid into a skillet, and cook on medium-high heat. When the liquid starts to turn over, mash with a fork or potato masher. Reduce heat to medium-low to prevent splattering. Cook to desired thickness, bearing in mind that they will firm up a bit more as they cool.
Beans are healthy (full of fiber, vegetarian proteins, and nutrients), inexpensive (costing around $2 for this entire recipe), and delicious!
What's your favorite way to cook and eat beans?
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Comments (24)
I have much love for lentils. I'll put them in a stew with some carrots and potatoes and tomatoes (although the tomatoes must come after the lentils are finished cooking, or the acid will kill them). I like black beans too, and use them for beans and rice and put them in salads and mash them up for a different sort of base for mexican pizzas. I love beans. But dried are such a hassle to deal with that I end up buying canned, even though the dried are cheaper.
Yummy. This sounds really good. I like beans, but the dried ones always seem to end up in the bottom of a cabinet. This sounds easy though so I may just have to try it!
This sounds yummy! I'd leave out the bacon though.. Lentil soup is one of my favs.
lol. When I saw the title, I thought it said eat bears. I think I might need to go to bed. Beans are definitely good.
@Erika_Steele@xanga - We had another reader think it said "eat brains." Hahaha
looks yummy! :3
beans.......i don't really know how to cook them. i liked the ones i ate from my old work place. it had a hint of barbeque flavor. that was the only time beans tasted good.
There are a lot of soups and chilis you can make that'll last you a few days so you don't have to spend so much money at the grocery store every week.
Lots of times i cook and eat a potful of lima beans on saturday night and sit around and fart the house up until its time to go to work on monday.
I cook my pinto beans in the crockpot, too! So easy and inexpensive. I smash them for bean and cheese burritos or nachos or serve as is for a side dish. Do you soak the beans overnight or cook them in the slow cooker from dried?
@emptyspiral@xanga - That is the best kind of weekend.
Looove this. My mom makes something similar and it's fantasticccc with crumbled up cornbread in it. <3
I don't like beans. They make my stomach uncomfortable. The food in the photo looks greasy.
I was raised on beans as a child. With cornbread, potatoes, tomatoes, and squash, depending on the time of year. I loved the shit out of those meals.
@babybug329@xanga - With the slowcooker, we find soaking to be rather unnecessary.
@foggysunnymorning@xanga - Don't let it fool ya -- they're virtually fat free. The bacon stays pretty whole, and what you're seeing is mainly broth.
Can of beans, some cheese , and the microwave =)
@k8t353@xanga - Mmmmmmmmmm.
Bean are good food. Protein, fibre, delicious, easy to digest. Not bad
http://beautifullifesharing.blogspot.com
I love beans but they give me gas = (
Put a little soda in water and soak the beans for at least a couple of hours, then drain and rinse. In fresh water, soak them in new water for another 2 to 4 hours at least. The soda reduces the amount of gas that forms in digestion. Or, get "Bean-o" or a generic version in the store's OTC drug section. Soaking saves time and energy used in slow cooking. You can also freeze dry beans in water to have on hand, then defrost in the microwave. Google "senate bean soup" -- carrot (I use grated) chopped celery and onion, and garlic powder is used along with ham base. With mixed beans, I do the same and sometimes add chopped tomato and broccoli florets cut in uniform pieces (broc contains more protein than steak.) Ham or bacon is good and so is a smoked ham hock. Any of those adds quite a bit of fat but that can be dealt with by cooking separately and draining/blotting. I take the hock apart and put any lean meat in the beans, skim the fat from the cooled stock and use the stock as part of the bean cooking liquid. Once the beans are almost cooked, it's simple to add barbecue sauce and bake them to finish cooking.
Bean broth is tasty but light when a cold or flu has your appetite impaired and good for keeping up your fluid intake. My mother said her family had a lot of fried potatoes and beans during the great depression and on Sundays, they had beans and fried potatoes.
@alsigirl@healthkicker - Hahaha. My Dad said they used to eat navy beans and mustard. He hates beans now, but I love 'em!!
@alsigirl@healthkicker - Sounds like you have a lot of experience with beans!
Growing up, we had them once a month at least. I've studied nutrition most of my adult life and go with Dr. Joel Fuhrman's advice in "Eat to Live," got my mom off diabetes meds during the 3 yrs I took care of her before she passed away at 89 which was 11 yrs after she had a massive stroke. Then I became extra conscience for a fellow who got too obese to exercise except for swimming. We got away from everything familiar here in Oregon and dry-camped in Quartzsite, AZ, and practiced what we called the'"95% rule." We had raw oatmeal with 2-3 kinds of fresh fruit plus raisins and yogurt for breakfast, beans and salads the rest of the day. No processed foods, nothing with white flour or white sugar. He dropped 73 lbs. in less than 2 months, 2" from chest waist and hips. I'd been on a 140 lb plateau for years and was surprised when I found I'd lost 11 lbs. Best of all, we had no cravings or urges to stray from the regimen but allowed that 5% of leeway to stray if we wanted, which usually took the form of an ice cream cone after a jam session. Once I knew his eating habits had changed and he could ride a a bike again, I left him to continue on his own. The proof really is in the eating, and not just for pudding!! I'll be 74 in a couple of months, walk a mile a day and take no prescription meds. Oh yes, I just finished the latest crock pot of beans yesterday.