Need Bean Recipes Please

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I am trying to add more beans to our diet. DH has high blood pressure so he needs a low sodium diet (and let's face it, lowering sodium intake probably wouldn't hurt any of us) and beans are just good for us in general.

I am trying to use dried beans rather than canned but what are your favorite recipes that incorporate beans?

 

[roseaster]

This is a favorite. We use canned beans, though.

Cowboy Caviar

2 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed
1 17 oz can corn
cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 avocado, diced
red onion, diced
orange bell pepper (just orange for the color, any color will do) diced
chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbs lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all salad ingredients together. In a separate bowl whisk together dressing. Toss salad ingredients with dressing.

 

[mjkacmom]

Not that I'd ever be caught in an Olive Garden, but this is delicious

http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-olive-garden-minestrone-soup-77585

 

[arminnie]

I cook with beans a lot. Here are some of my favorite ways to use beans.

Chili with kidney beans (or pinto beans)
Homemade hummus - garbanzo beans
Red beans and rice with smoked sausage/andouille
Black beans - Cuban style
Black beans, corn, tomato, avocado salsa/salad
Pinto beans - Tex/Mex style with cornbread
Navy beans - cooked with trinity and ham
Pinto or kidney beans, rice, hamburger and cheese with tomatoes and Mexican seasoning
Refried beans in taco salad or wraps.
Cream peas, lady peas or black eyed peas well seasoned with new potatoes
Taco soup

The secret to great beans is to cook them in good stock. I make my own chicken stock which has 100% more flavor than the stuff you buy in a box. I save up scraps from onions and celery in my freezer. When I have a chicken carcass I throw those scraps in with some carrots, thyme, and pepper. And then cook it for hours, strain and freeze or use right away.

I also like to use dried beans. What I find to be convenient is to cook the beans with zero seasoning in a pressure cooker. Then I freeze the beans in portions what work for my family. When I'm ready to use them I place them in my homemade stock with appropriate seasonings. I cook with almost no salt. If I want salt I add it at serving time.

I haven't given recipes here as I suggest you Google the ones you are interested in. I use Allrecipes, Food.com, and Pioneer Woman a lot.

I can make vegetarian versions of most of this (even the stock) by leaving out the meat.

 

[pat fan]

16 Bean soup. Soak overnight, parcook 10 minutes, skim off any foam. Place in crockpot with 2 small cans diced tomatoes (with liquid, or one large can), add Italian Seasoning, salt & pepper (skip salt if you want). Cover with water. Optional, add ham bone with some meat on it. Or liquid smoke for some flavor if you don't want to use the ham due to the sodium. Cook all day. Delicious!

 

[MataHari22]

Or a version of Olive Garden's other bean soup, is one I make all the time.

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a45873/copycat-olive-garden-zuppa-toscana-recipe/

I cannot swallow meats, really, so I try and add a lot of beans to my diet.

I like to have pasta salads with beans in the fridge for lunch for something quick, and I don't have to cook. I also do this in the summer for dinners. When I don't want to cook and just want to eat lightly.



Don't over look lentils, and or split peas. They are good, too. I grew up eating split pea soup and lentil soup, like this one, on Friday nights, since my dad would not cook meat on Fridays.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lentil-soup-recipe.html

I also like red lentils. They are very nutritious.
This is a simple and not spicy red lentil soup:

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392


Or spicy, Like a Coconut Red Lentil Curry:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/coconut-red-lentil-curry-236684

Red Lentil Dal:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7517-red-lentil-dal

I even add red lentils or white beans to my butter nut squash soup. And blend, until it's all smooth.

Sometimes, I am able to swallow fatty cuts of pork, if it's cooked right, and very moist. I make my own version of Braised Pork With Mojo Sauce, and serve it with rice and Cuban Style Black Beans.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/braised-pork-with-mojo-sauce-107080

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cuban-style-black-beans-4283

Red Beans and Rice is really good, but that uses a ham hock, which might be too salty. I eat beans and Légumes all kinds of ways. Can always look on Pinterest for ideas. That's what I do. I never use actual recipes, I just look through to get ideas, and then just go cook.

 

[Wishing on a star]

This is something super simple.
We had this while in Mexico. The one we had there actually had some cooked thin spaghetti in it!

Saute some finely diced onion.
When almost cooked thru, add some chicken stock.
I use the Swanson's Cooking Stock. No MSG, etc.
while this is boiling down, take a large can of black beans or pinto beans, drain some of the thick juice/sauce off.
Add a little water and zap in the blender.
Pour the beans into the soup pot with chicken broth.
Simmer a few minutes.
Enjoy!

I also like different chili's with beans, cuban black beans, and occasionally, good old southern pinto beans and some hot fresh cornbread right out of the skillet.
Warning, this would not necessarily be 'diet' when eat that good cornbread slathered with butter!!!

 

[North of Mouse]

I am trying to add more beans to our diet. DH has high blood pressure so he needs a low sodium diet (and let's face it, lowering sodium intake probably wouldn't hurt any of us) and beans are just good for us in general.

I am trying to use dried beans rather than canned but what are your favorite recipes that incorporate beans?

Well, being a south LA girl, we do love our red beans (kidney) sausage and rice! Rinse, soak beans over night, rinse again, add several cups of water, a couple bay leaves,then cook 2-3 hours, season with a little roux (browned flour) onions, salt, pepper, garlic (or powder) to taste, cook a little longer to blend flavors. Serve over rice - yummmmy!!

I always use dry beans - regular canned is full of sodium.

 

[Wishing on a star]

These recipes sound so good!
I often cook from dried beans, but for that Mexican bean soup, the canned works fine!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

This is a favorite. We use canned beans, though.

Cowboy Caviar

2 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed
1 17 oz can corn
cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 avocado, diced
red onion, diced
orange bell pepper (just orange for the color, any color will do) diced
chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbs lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all salad ingredients together. In a separate bowl whisk together dressing. Toss salad ingredients with dressing.

I LOVE this stuff!!! We add crushed garlic and 1/4 tsp chili powder to the dressing, but otherwise our recipe is the same.

I also love lentils. Here are two of my favorite dried lentil recipes.

Lentil Soup
2 TBS olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped/crushed
salt & pepper
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 LB dry lentils (about 1 1/4 cups)
11 cups low salt chicken broth
4 - 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup elbow macaroni
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook onions, carrots celery in oil. Add garlic, salt, pepper & sauté until veggie are tender (5-8 min). Add tomatoes with juice, simmer 8 min. Add lentils, broth, thyme. Stir. Bring to boil on high, then simmer on low for 30 min. Stir in macaroni, simmer until it's tender (8 min). Season with salt & pepper. When served, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Brown Rice & Lentils
1/2 c uncooked brown rice
3 1/2 c chicken broth (use low sodium)
3/4 c dry lentils
3/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c red wine
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp each of salt, oregano, thyme
1/8 tsp each of garlic powder, pepper
4 oz shredded swiss cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all above except 2 oz swiss cheese. Mix well & put into a sprayed casserole dish. Bake covered for 1.5 - 2 hrs, stirring twice. Top with rest of cheese during last 3 minutes.

 

[MataHari22]

Oh! How could I forget my extreme favorite thing to do with beans?! Cincinnati Chili! Like a homemade version of Goldstar or Skyline chili! Yum!

I cook mine with the ground beef and the beans together in my crock pot. Top with chopped onions, and shredded cheddar and serve over spaghetti. For those that have never had it, I was skeptical but once I tried it, I really liked it. I make mine different than this for one, because I never use recipes and just use what I have on hand, but also because I cannot have it hot, and I don't use the chocolate, but here is a recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cincinnati-chili-recipe2.html

 

[Hikergirl]

http://www.apinchofhealthy.com/red-beans-and-rice-in-the-slow-cooker/

 

[mnrose]

There are lots of good Indian recipes which use beans (garbanzos and lentils are popular). The advantage to indian cooking is that the spices they use are so wonderful and flavorful that you can skip the salt (and sodium) entirely. I never add salt when I cook Indian food. My current favorite is something called a "Butter Sauce" (chicken is the standard meat, but I've made it with garbanzos, lentils and lamb to equal raves), which is essentially butter, onions, garlic, curry powder, garam masala powder, tandoori masala powder, tomato paste,coconut milk and yogurt. So yummy!

 

[JoeA]

Taco Bell bean burrito!

 

[Minnesota!]

Big can of crushed tomaotes
Box.of low sodium veggie broth
Bring to simmer

Add in a few par cooked, cubed sweet potatoes, some chopped peppers (I do green Chile and jalapeños), a drained can of black beans and a drained can of kidney.

Also add low sodium taco seasoning, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

Cook on med- low till taters are done.

 

[Scootypuffjr]

I like to sub lentils in for ground beef in recipes like spaghetti with meat sauce, chili, enchiladas, tacos, and lasagne. Just season it the way you would if there was meat in there, it ends up tasting pretty similar.

 

[GaryDis]

There are lots of good Indian recipes which use beans (garbanzos and lentils are popular). The advantage to indian cooking is that the spices they use are so wonderful and flavorful that you can skip the salt (and sodium) entirely. I never add salt when I cook Indian food. My current favorite is something called a "Butter Sauce" (chicken is the standard meat, but I've made it with garbanzos, lentils and lamb to equal raves), which is essentially butter, onions, garlic, curry powder, garam masala powder, tandoori masala powder, tomato paste,coconut milk and yogurt. So yummy!

Now that it's getting cool enough again to spend more time in the kitchen, I need to get back to The Healthy Cuisine of India by Bharti Kirchner. A fair number of good bean recipes, but also other healthy recipes.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I am trying to add more beans to our diet. DH has high blood pressure so he needs a low sodium diet (and let's face it, lowering sodium intake probably wouldn't hurt any of us) and beans are just good for us in general.

I am trying to use dried beans rather than canned but what are your favorite recipes that incorporate beans?

Get a pressure cooker if you want to use dried beans. You will get cooked beans in much quicker time than stovetop. The new electronic pressure cookers are really wonderful-they have several settings-slow cooker, yogurt maker, soup, poultry...mine lives on the counter and gets used daily for brown rice, steel cut oats, hard boiled eggs. I can through a pork shoulder in and it's shreddable for pulled pork in an hour. A pressure cooker makes the best cheesecakes.

The one I have is called Instant Pot and is quite popular although there are many other brands.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Oh! How could I forget my extreme favorite thing to do with beans?! Cincinnati Chili! Like a homemade version of Goldstar or Skyline chili! Yum!

I cook mine with the ground beef and the beans together in my crock pot. Top with chopped onions, and shredded cheddar and serve over spaghetti. For those that have never had it, I was skeptical but once I tried it, I really liked it. I make mine different than this for one, because I never use recipes and just use what I have on hand, but also because I cannot have it hot, and I don't use the chocolate, but here is a recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cincinnati-chili-recipe2.html

I love Cincinnati Chili-haven't made it in a few years but I 've never used beans-just meat. Love the combo of chocolate and cinnamon.

 

[MataHari22]

I love Cincinnati Chili-haven't made it in a few years but I 've never used beans-just meat. Love the combo of chocolate and cinnamon.

Yes, true Cincinnati Chili is only supposed to have the beans placed on the top, if you want them, but since I have a hard time swallowing meat, I like to put the beans in with my meat, so that it lightens it up a little for me, and makes it easier to eat. Also, the beans are more flavorful that way. I like it mixed, much better than the original way!

Now that fall is coming, I'm going to need to make some! To be honest, once I tried this, I much preferred it over regular, Southwest chili.