Lucky Seven Sweet Things about Dried Beans! Plus, Homemade Refried Beans, AND Bean Conversions!

Guess what has taken me FOREVER to finally come to love!?

BEST of DRIED BEANS!

#1 Beans of ANY kind are Super-NUTRIENT-Packed!

#2 CHEAP -- usually less than $2 per pound (I often buy bulk section of from Whole Foods -- spectacular VARIETY!)!

My latest deal is less than $1 per pound (Aldi)!

Assuming $2 per pound dried, you get 4 cans worth of cooked beans for $2!

Handy conversions between
dried, canned, and cooked beans!

#3 Free of SALT (some 14.5 oz cans get close to an entire day's recommended total!)
Here is a post from Andrew of Eating Rules showing how much sodium comes out with rinsing and draining, at best 45%!

#4 Free of the CHEMICALS added to canned beans to preserve them.
AS WELL AS chemicals on the plastic coating inside the can!

#5 Free of added SUGAR, ...and high fructose corn syrup, I found both in a huge (100 oz) can of beans at Gordon Foods!

#6 TASTE! Though I have never been disappointed with the taste of canned beans, and beans are often added to other tasty foods anyway, warm, freshly prepared dried beans taste, wholesome, creamy, and delightful!

#7 EASY -- this is the most surprising bonus of dried beans!  Some time savers: you DON'T have to OPEN cans, or rinse and drain cooked beans.  While you should rinse dried beans, cleaning the strainer afterward is a cinch with dried beans (compared to cooked beans)!

SO how to do it?  I thank 100 Days of Real Food! for their simple recipe!

Here is what I do!

Homemade Refried Beans (Note: there is nothing fried about these beans!)

1 pound (2 c) dried pinto beans, rinsed (substitute almost any bean* you wish in this recipe!)
6 c water

Cook everything overnight (or all day) on high in a slow cooker. Onions and garlic are nutritious and delicious addition (1-2 onions, halved, and 2 cloves garlic). CUMIN is also a delicious addition!
Blend to desired smoothness and enjoy!

Homemade Refried Beans

• I use my Blendtec, but you could even do this coarsely with a fork or potato masher.
• Other add-ins for pinto and black beans: cumin, pepper.
• For other types of beans, you will probably omit the blending.
• *KIDNEY beans need to be boiled for 10 min first, then rinsed, to rid them of a toxin.

This it a great technique for Heavenly Hummus (note above conversions)!
As well as black beans for 2-Minute Friday Night Dinner (Ha! ...slow cooker for 2-minute dinner!)!

PS- lentils are lovely! Soaking or hours of cooking never needed! TRY this: Hearty Lentil Soup!

COMMENTS: what kind of posts are your favorite here at fresh-you? Thanks for sharing!