When your family budget is stretched just about as far as it will go, you need some real tools to stretch it even further. One of the means we can use to squeeze a few more pennies out of your paycheck is to cut back at the grocery store. This is where our friend the black bean comes in.
You've come to the end of a long week, and the end of your budget, so which direction should you go when you find yourself lost in the grocery store? Follow me over to the black bean aisle. The first thing you'll notice is the price; can they really be that inexpensive? Yes, and black beans are also low fat, and are even packed with protein, calcium, iron, and fiber. That's a lot of value for your hard earned money. You'll want to start loading up your cart with black beans and keeping a supply on hand. The next step is creating meals that the family will love featuring the fabulous black bean.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
Take 1 can each of black beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, and butter beans, open, drain and set aside. (Yes, you may substitute whatever beans you have on hand.) Now, take a large pot, pour about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil in, add 1 cup diced onion and 1 cup finely diced celery. Over medium to medium low heat, cook until celery is transparent. Then add 1 clove garlic, crushed, and let cook for a minute or so. Now pour all your beans into the pot along with 1 small can of diced tomatoes, use seasoned tomatoes if you wish, and 1 small can of chicken broth. Cook nice and slow so it's just simmering for 20 minutes or so. Soup's on!
2) Multi Bean Salad
For this one, you'll want to use a variety of solid texture canned beans, like black beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, waxed beans, and the like. Drain and rinse all the beans and put them in a big bowl. Add some nice sweet onion or green onion, some finely chopped celery, a little parsley, some thyme or rosemary if you like, and top it all with a drizzle of a good vinaigrette dressing like Paul Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. This is a surprisingly easy and refreshing salad. Even the kids like this one!
3) Too Easy Black Beans & Taco Sauce
My daughter loves black beans, and loves her taco sauce, too. So, the two just seemed a natural when she put them together in a bowl. Now the whole family is hooked! Just drain and rinse a can of black beans, make sure they're drained well, then pour into a bowl and mix in some of those leftover packets of taco sauce you have laying around the kitchen. It makes a quick and tasty side dish or snack. This easy treat is worth a try even if you're a bit skeptical. Once you're hooked, you may want to try using some hot salsa, but just a little to add flavor, not too much sauce. Don't forget to put some cheese on top!
4) Black Bean Cottage Cheese Salad
A simple but delicious use for black beans is turning it into a creamy salad. Put a 1 scoop of cottage cheese in a serving bowl, and sprinkle a little salt and freshly ground black pepper on top. Then top with some drained and rinsed canned black beans, about 1/2 cup. Add a bit of chopped celery to the mix and you have a great, crunchy, creamy lunch, packed with protein, calcium, iron and fiber.
5) Use-It-Up Black Bean Burrito
With just a few items you keep on hand, you can always create a wonderfully classic burrito. Grab a corn or flour tortilla, heat it up if you like, and set it on a plate. Thoroughly drain and rinse a can of black beans. Now you can begin designing your burrito with whatever you have in the kitchen. Lay some black beans on your tortilla, add celery, tomatoes, shredded cheese, onion, leftover rice or even potatoes, diced chicken, sour cream, or any food you have to eat up. I usually prefer a little more black beans with just a few other items for flavor and texture. Just add taco sauce or salsa and dig in.
There are countless ways to enjoy our new friend, the black bean. You will easily be able to take the five ideas I've listed here and add your own personal flair to create black bean dishes to suit any taste, even your family's most finicky eater.
You've come to the end of a long week, and the end of your budget, so which direction should you go when you find yourself lost in the grocery store? Follow me over to the black bean aisle. The first thing you'll notice is the price; can they really be that inexpensive? Yes, and black beans are also low fat, and are even packed with protein, calcium, iron, and fiber. That's a lot of value for your hard earned money. You'll want to start loading up your cart with black beans and keeping a supply on hand. The next step is creating meals that the family will love featuring the fabulous black bean.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
Take 1 can each of black beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, and butter beans, open, drain and set aside. (Yes, you may substitute whatever beans you have on hand.) Now, take a large pot, pour about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil in, add 1 cup diced onion and 1 cup finely diced celery. Over medium to medium low heat, cook until celery is transparent. Then add 1 clove garlic, crushed, and let cook for a minute or so. Now pour all your beans into the pot along with 1 small can of diced tomatoes, use seasoned tomatoes if you wish, and 1 small can of chicken broth. Cook nice and slow so it's just simmering for 20 minutes or so. Soup's on!
2) Multi Bean Salad
For this one, you'll want to use a variety of solid texture canned beans, like black beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, waxed beans, and the like. Drain and rinse all the beans and put them in a big bowl. Add some nice sweet onion or green onion, some finely chopped celery, a little parsley, some thyme or rosemary if you like, and top it all with a drizzle of a good vinaigrette dressing like Paul Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. This is a surprisingly easy and refreshing salad. Even the kids like this one!
3) Too Easy Black Beans & Taco Sauce
My daughter loves black beans, and loves her taco sauce, too. So, the two just seemed a natural when she put them together in a bowl. Now the whole family is hooked! Just drain and rinse a can of black beans, make sure they're drained well, then pour into a bowl and mix in some of those leftover packets of taco sauce you have laying around the kitchen. It makes a quick and tasty side dish or snack. This easy treat is worth a try even if you're a bit skeptical. Once you're hooked, you may want to try using some hot salsa, but just a little to add flavor, not too much sauce. Don't forget to put some cheese on top!
4) Black Bean Cottage Cheese Salad
A simple but delicious use for black beans is turning it into a creamy salad. Put a 1 scoop of cottage cheese in a serving bowl, and sprinkle a little salt and freshly ground black pepper on top. Then top with some drained and rinsed canned black beans, about 1/2 cup. Add a bit of chopped celery to the mix and you have a great, crunchy, creamy lunch, packed with protein, calcium, iron and fiber.
5) Use-It-Up Black Bean Burrito
With just a few items you keep on hand, you can always create a wonderfully classic burrito. Grab a corn or flour tortilla, heat it up if you like, and set it on a plate. Thoroughly drain and rinse a can of black beans. Now you can begin designing your burrito with whatever you have in the kitchen. Lay some black beans on your tortilla, add celery, tomatoes, shredded cheese, onion, leftover rice or even potatoes, diced chicken, sour cream, or any food you have to eat up. I usually prefer a little more black beans with just a few other items for flavor and texture. Just add taco sauce or salsa and dig in.
There are countless ways to enjoy our new friend, the black bean. You will easily be able to take the five ideas I've listed here and add your own personal flair to create black bean dishes to suit any taste, even your family's most finicky eater.
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom and owner of ShowMomtheMoney.com - a fun and informative website to help moms achieve success working from home. She welcomes you to learn more ways to save money in her Frugal Moms section. Be sure to sign up for her free tutorial for work at home moms.
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