Beans, beans, the musical fruit...

At Super Wal-Mart, a can of beans averages 75¢ and a 1 lb bag of beans averages $1.00 and a 2 lb bag of beans averages $1.75. Means nothing, right?

Wrong!

It means a huge savings over the long run. See, I cook my beans in the crockpot and package in can sized servings.

How to:
You do not need to soak the beans. Rinse beans in a colander, making sure to remove all rocks and clumps of dirt. Put the beans in your crockpot and add enough water to cover by an inch or two. Cook on low all day or high for a few hours. The amount of time it takes depends on the type of beans and how old they are. When cooked, drain and let cool a bit. When cooled, put 1 2/3 cup into your freezer container of choice. If you are smart, you will use reusable freezer containers. If you are me, you will use freezer bags.

The Price Breakdown:
Dry beans - 22 ¢ per can sized serving. (1 - 2 lb. bag of beans yields the equivalent of 8 cans)
Canned beans- 75¢ per can sized serving


The best part though is the sodium. According to what I can find, the average sodium content of canned beans is from 280 to 410 milligrams per serving. Since I do not have high blood pressure and want to keep it that way, this was a no brainer for me.

So I will leave you with a quick and easy bean non-recipe to try with your new freezer beans.

1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and rung out
2 cans equivalent any kind of beans
salt and pepper to taste
Any additional vegetables you want to add
Any additional seasonings you want to add

Over medium heat, saute onion, garlic and additional vegetables until soft but not brown. Add remaining ingredients and heat until hot. Serve over polenta, rice, quinoa, barley... just about any grain.