Beans really are good for you

Beans are a good source of B vitamins including folic acid. Beans also provide minerals such as iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium and even some calcium. Dried beans are also a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They provide little fat and no cholesterol. While beans do not supply complete protein, they do provide several amino acids.

So how can you get more of these nutritional powerhouses into your diet? Here are a few recipes to bring beans to the table.

Barbeque slow-cooked beans
(adapted from a recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook)

1 lb dried white (navy or kidney) beans, soaked overnight, or two cans white (navy or kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
One medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of barbeque sauce (low fat or low sodium varieties, if desired; chipotle variety if you prefer it spicy)
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

If used dried beans, place in saucepan and cover with water two inches over beans. Add diced onion and minced garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, or until beans are soft, adding more hot water if necessary. Drain.

If using canned, sauté onion and garlic in a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil.

Mix all ingredients in crockpot. Cook 8-10 hrs on low

Hummus
This variety leaves out the olive oil. A food processor works better than a blender.