If you have a family budget worked out, you know how hard it is to stick to it without having some real concrete plans and strategies to stretch your money as far as it will go. Usually, the first area we can squeeze a few extra dollars out of our wallets is on groceries. I'd like to introduce you to your new partner in your frugal endeavor, the black bean.
We all find ourselves searching the grocery store for something to cook for the family that won't take our last few dollars. When you find yourself standing in the middle of the store ready to give up, wander over and take a look at the black beans. First take a look at the price. Then take a look at the nutrition label. How can something with the nutrients you need like protein, calcium, iron, and fiber, also be so inexpensive, and low fat, too? When you can feed your family a healthy, delicious meal for literally pennies per serving, you should consider black beans a pantry must-have. How about a few quick and tasty meals that you can prepare for your family so they can fall in love with the wonderful black bean, too.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
You'll need 1 can each of black beans, garbanzo beans, butter beans, and navy beans (although you really can use any kinds of beans). In a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, add 1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped onion. Cook until celery is a little tender. Now add 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed and cook for just a minute. Open and drain, but do not rinse, all four bean cans and pour into pot. Add 1 small can diced tomatoes and 1 small can chicken broth. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes. It's ready to eat.
2) Multi Bean Salad
Pick your favorite canned beans like, black beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, butter beans, waxed beans, kidney beans, and any others that you may like to try. Drain and rinse them all very well. Put them in a nice big serving bowl. Add to the salad bowl some chopped onion, celery, chives, fresh parsley, rosemary if you like, thyme, or any other herb on hand. Season by sprinkling a good vinaigrette salad dressing all over and mixing in well. I prefer for this salad Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette; it's reasonably priced and good for a lot of recipes.
3) Simple Black Beans and Taco Sauce
Try it and I guarantee you'll be wondering why you haven't thought of this before. My daughter was the person who "invented" this recipe in our family, and now we're all sold on it. Simply drain and rinse a can of black beans. If you have those little packets of taco sauce laying around, leftovers from carry-out, just squeeze a few in your black beans, give it a toss, and you have an incredibly delicious side dish that is sure to please. You'll have to try this one to believe it. You might want to try some hot salsa instead of the taco sauce, but use only a little, just enough to flavor the beans. (Throw some shredded cheddar on top and you're set.)
4) Black Bean Cottage Cheese Salad
Quick and simple salads are sometimes the best. In a serving bowl, put about 1 cup of cottage cheese, sprinkle some salt over the top and add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Now, drain and rinse a can of black beans, and spoon about 1/2 cup of the black beans over the cottage cheese. Chop up some celery and sprinkle over the top. You now have a snack or side salad that delicious and nutritious, loaded with protein, iron, calcium and fiber.
5) Quick Black Bean Burrito
Throwing a burrito together with just a few items in the house is easy when you have a can of black beans in the pantry. Start with a flour or corn tortilla, warm it up if you like, and put it on a plate. Next, drain your canned black beans and rinse them well. Now, just start adding whatever you have. I start by placing some black beans on my tortilla, then adding a little onion, celery, chopped parsley if I have it, some chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese, leftover rice, pieces of fish leftover from last night, and anything else I can see in the refrigerator that needs to be eaten. But, I like the black beans to dominate my burrito, for flavor, nutrition, and cost. Now, just top it with a bit of salsa or taco sauce and you've got yourself a great inexpensive meal
We could go on forever with delicious ways to serve the incredibly nutritious and inexpensive black bean, but you've got the idea now. These five quick and easy black bean recipes are meant to just get you started in producing your very own collection of black bean dishes. - 16003
We all find ourselves searching the grocery store for something to cook for the family that won't take our last few dollars. When you find yourself standing in the middle of the store ready to give up, wander over and take a look at the black beans. First take a look at the price. Then take a look at the nutrition label. How can something with the nutrients you need like protein, calcium, iron, and fiber, also be so inexpensive, and low fat, too? When you can feed your family a healthy, delicious meal for literally pennies per serving, you should consider black beans a pantry must-have. How about a few quick and tasty meals that you can prepare for your family so they can fall in love with the wonderful black bean, too.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
You'll need 1 can each of black beans, garbanzo beans, butter beans, and navy beans (although you really can use any kinds of beans). In a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, add 1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped onion. Cook until celery is a little tender. Now add 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed and cook for just a minute. Open and drain, but do not rinse, all four bean cans and pour into pot. Add 1 small can diced tomatoes and 1 small can chicken broth. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes. It's ready to eat.
2) Multi Bean Salad
Pick your favorite canned beans like, black beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, butter beans, waxed beans, kidney beans, and any others that you may like to try. Drain and rinse them all very well. Put them in a nice big serving bowl. Add to the salad bowl some chopped onion, celery, chives, fresh parsley, rosemary if you like, thyme, or any other herb on hand. Season by sprinkling a good vinaigrette salad dressing all over and mixing in well. I prefer for this salad Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette; it's reasonably priced and good for a lot of recipes.
3) Simple Black Beans and Taco Sauce
Try it and I guarantee you'll be wondering why you haven't thought of this before. My daughter was the person who "invented" this recipe in our family, and now we're all sold on it. Simply drain and rinse a can of black beans. If you have those little packets of taco sauce laying around, leftovers from carry-out, just squeeze a few in your black beans, give it a toss, and you have an incredibly delicious side dish that is sure to please. You'll have to try this one to believe it. You might want to try some hot salsa instead of the taco sauce, but use only a little, just enough to flavor the beans. (Throw some shredded cheddar on top and you're set.)
4) Black Bean Cottage Cheese Salad
Quick and simple salads are sometimes the best. In a serving bowl, put about 1 cup of cottage cheese, sprinkle some salt over the top and add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Now, drain and rinse a can of black beans, and spoon about 1/2 cup of the black beans over the cottage cheese. Chop up some celery and sprinkle over the top. You now have a snack or side salad that delicious and nutritious, loaded with protein, iron, calcium and fiber.
5) Quick Black Bean Burrito
Throwing a burrito together with just a few items in the house is easy when you have a can of black beans in the pantry. Start with a flour or corn tortilla, warm it up if you like, and put it on a plate. Next, drain your canned black beans and rinse them well. Now, just start adding whatever you have. I start by placing some black beans on my tortilla, then adding a little onion, celery, chopped parsley if I have it, some chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese, leftover rice, pieces of fish leftover from last night, and anything else I can see in the refrigerator that needs to be eaten. But, I like the black beans to dominate my burrito, for flavor, nutrition, and cost. Now, just top it with a bit of salsa or taco sauce and you've got yourself a great inexpensive meal
We could go on forever with delicious ways to serve the incredibly nutritious and inexpensive black bean, but you've got the idea now. These five quick and easy black bean recipes are meant to just get you started in producing your very own collection of black bean dishes. - 16003
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom and owner of ShowMomtheMoney.com - a fun and informative resource to help moms achieve success working from home. She invites you to learn more ways to save money in her Frugal Moms section. Be sure to sign up for her free lessons for work at home moms.
