How do YOU cook beans?

Soak them overnight, then boil them with sliced onion, salt pepper, garlic and some chili powder , until the beans are almost tendrr I also add a can of roasted diced tomatoes, I usually add some kind of browned meat, or sliced sausage such as linguisa, this is optional, then I put diced onion, shredded cheesr, sour cream avocado what ever condiment on top....yum I usually use pinto beans but any kind will work...

As a main dish I cook mine in my slow cooker. I soak them for 24 hours then put them on in the morning and let them cook all day on high. I usually chop up an onion, couple cloves of garlic, a stalk or two of celery (if I have it), bell pepper (if I have it) saute them to soften up and add to the pot. A ham bone, chunks of lean ham or any lean sausage (cut up and fried first to cook the fat off) is a good addition.

My dad loved his beans, I grew up eating them and kinda burnt out on eating them. Now I'm living in Louisiana and red beans and rice is a staple here, my husband used to buy Blue Runner beans and add to them but he won't touch Blue Runner now that he's had mine made in the crock pot!

Umm.. basically I put them in Chili.... that's about it. I don't eat a lot of beans. Pork and beans (with the white northern beans) is really good but.... it gives me really bad gas so I don't eat it. lol. But it's really easy.

I'm lazy with beans. I have 4 main recipes I used beans for - usually canned and rinsed.

1- I'll make some multigrain rotini or other pasta. I'll take a can of 3-bean salad, put through strainer and rinse, that way they still have some of the taste of the 'salad' but without the sauce. I'll add them to the paste, add some pesto sauce, and maybe a bit of cheese too. I'll eat it as a side dish with veggies.

2- Gallo pinto, Costa Rican staple. I make some rice. In a skillet, I'll fry a can of black beans (strained and rinsed), some finely diced red, orange, yellow peppers, maybe some tomato, maybe some zucchini, and sprinkle with lime juice. once it's done, I mix into the rice and top it off with tons of delicious fresh cilantro. Makes a great side dish.

3- Chili. I use ground tofu, kidney beans or a mix of beans, tomatoes, red, orange and yellow peppers, cilantro, chili powder, hot peppers, and lime juice. Eat with totopos or make corn tortillas to make burritos.

4- I use the dried bean mix in soup. Boil water and add the dry beans, let it simmer for 45 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. Can be used in minestrone type soups. I sometimes also make a soup with beans, quinoa, squash, celery, carrot, kale or spinach, and broth. Reminds me of what I used to eat every single day in Peru.

I buy dried beans (mostly black beans and chick peas), soak overnight, and boil for about an hour or two (until soft). I use them in tacos, on salads, chili, soup, add them to turkey wraps, make hummus. I also mix them with quinoa (cooked with salsa) as a side dish. I also like chick peas plain with a little olive oil and curry.

I like lentils on their own with a garlicky vinaigrette or in soups, but most beans I puree into a dip for raw veg, similar to hummous.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/quickhummousandolive_71473
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Bobtheangrytomato/view/white-bean-hummus-481000

I make a crunchy snack out of split peas, or turn them into a soup with ham.
http://www.ihearexercisewillkillyou.com/2010/06/split-pea-crisps.html
http://dutchfood.about.com/od/soups/r/TraditionalDutchSplitPeaSoup.htm

vegetarian chili with black beans and sweet potatoes among other things:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupsstewsandchili/r/blackbeansweetpotato.htm

quesadillas with black beans, peppers, onions, mushrooms

black bean enchiladas or enchilada casserole

sweet potato burritos with kidney beans (really delish!)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/addictive-sweet-potato-burritos/

i also like to mash the chickpeas and mix with avocado and greek yogurt inplace of mayo then season with dillweed, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and eat on a sandwich or wrap

chickpeas on a salad

use lentis to make tacos

chickpea soup:
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 can chickpeas or cook dried beans and use 2 cups
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
half 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dried
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
in medium saucepan, spray with cooking spray and cook onion until soft about 5 mins. add garlic, cook stirring about 1 minute. stir in chickpeas, sage and pepper.
stir in the broth, spinach and salt, bring to a boil. transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree. return to the saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. stir in lemon juice
makes 4 servings. 163 cals, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 590mg sodium (this will vary depending if you use canned beans and what type of broth), 25g total carbs, 7g fiber, 9g protein,99mg calcium

another chickpea soup:
2 tsp olive oil
1 fennel bulb diced
2 carrots diced
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups coarsley chopped swiss chard leaves
3/4 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
in medium saucepan heat oil. add fennel, carrots, onion and garlic. cook stirring as needed until fennel and onions are golden about 10-12 minutes.
stir in broth, chard, macaroni, and salt; cook until macaroni is tender about 10mins.stir in parsley and pepper
serves 4, 170 cals

hummus:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Mediterranean-hummus-304159

chipotle hummus:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Mexican-chipotle-hummus-297604

chickpea curry is also good:
http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/07/chickpea-curry-chana-masala.html

Oh yea & black bean burgers are yummy!

Falafel is good. Lentils are a pretty great source of protein, too and can be used in veggie balls and salads.