Dried Beans

Beans are super healthy for you...low in fat and high in fiber and protein. They are also relatively cheap, but canned beans are loaded with sodium and is really a pretty small amount of beans overall. I've started only buying dried beans. They take more work, yes but they save money and are much healthier! For $1.08 I purchased 1 pound of dried black beans. That 1 bag made bean quesadilla's and black beans and rice for my family. The black beans and rice recipe I use normally requires 3 cans of beans so just for one recipe I saved money buying dried. 3 cans of store brand costs $2.25 total with each can costing $0.75 so for one of the 2 recipes I made using dried beans I saved over $1.
To make them simply soak in water overnight (8-12 hours) then drain them. Once drained they are ready to be boiled for 1 1/2 hours or so until they reach the desired tenderness then add to your favorite bean recipe. If you forget to soak overnight as I frequently do you can boil the beans uncovered for 2 minutes then remove from the heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. After that drain and boil as above. Enjoy your beans!