easy/tasty ways to prepare beans? (kidney beans, white beans, black beans)

I'm not a fan of beans, but my boyfriend makes vegetarian chili with them. He adds tomato sauce and tomato paste and some spices (and maybe some other stuff?) and leaves it in the slow cooker. He doesn't really have an actual recipe for it, but I'm sure you could find some easy ones on Google!

These black bean recipes are good: http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/12/50-awesome-vegan-black-bean-recipes.html?m=1

• Put them in green salads.
• Make them the star of salads with other veggies (I particularly like red beans or kidney beans with diced sweet peppers, cucumber, sweet onions or green onions & cherry tomatoes, dressed with malt vinegar + prepared mustard; or black-eyed peas with pickled turnips, sweet onions, and feta cheese, dressed with a bit of the pickle juice).
• Puree white beans and use them to thicken a "cream" soup.
• Make white-bean chili with hominy, onions, spices, and (if unlike me, you eat meat) chicken.
• Mash them, thin with broth or yogurt, season & use as a dip for veggies or chips.
• Make bean patties and put them in sandwiches (a bit of egg to hold the mashed beans together, seasonings).
• Layer them in lasagna.
• Put them in moussaka.
• Rough-chop them with your choice of veggies, add a little yogurt or somesuch to make it hang together, and use them to make a sandwich filling (you're going for a texture similar to chicken salad or egg salad).
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  I could go on and on. Beans are wonderful.

I make a pot of kidney beans with bacon, garlic, onion, and sliced jalapeno peppers. I then freeze it, 1 or 2 servings per pouch. Later, when I want beans, I just toss a pouch into boiling water and a few minutes later...dinner. I do pretty much the same with split pea soup but w/o the jalapenos.

Once you have cooked beans, there are so many things you can do with them!

Chili with beans - black beans and kidney beans
Black bean and corn salsa - good with fish or chicken or on chips or on a salad
White bean hummus - cook then blend with garlic, lemon juice, and a little tahini
White beans cooked with sausage and kale or escarole - you can also turn this into a tasty soup
Season black beans with cumin, onion, garlic, and cayenne - throw this in a burrito bowl or top a baked potato with the beans + cheese and salsa
Smash up black or kidney beans with above mentioned seasonings in a ban with oil (refried) - put them in tacos or quesadillas or just eat with a spoon
Add white beans or chickpeas to shakshuka (spicy, tomato-based baked egg dish)

Spaghetti squash with White Beans Provençal http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-with-white-bean-provenal

I cook black beans and pinto beans in the crockpot.. not at the same time but depending on what I'm in the mood for. If I want to have black bean burritos, I'll rinse and soak the dried beans and put them in the fridge overnight, rinse again and toss them in the crockpot to cook. I'll do the same another day with the pinto beans. You can freeze them in smaller bags to use for other meals, that makes it handy.

I might use the pinto burritos or mash them up for refried beans, toss on some salsa and some cheese and have that for a meal or over a salad or do a taco or on a tortilla.

Same with black beans, might do it the same way or use them in a soup or salad or just toss some in a burrito with fixin's.

You really can't go wrong with beans, long as you cook them but don't over cook them. They're so yummy for your tummy and slow to release carbs. A great high fiber food too.

Cheapest way is to buy them in bulk (typically fresher than buying bagged), rinse the amount you plan to cook and put in bowl or pan to soak in the fridge. Rinsing them and soaking them, then rinsing off again gets rid of the gas properties which bother some ppl.

Google how to cook beans on the stove top or Crockpot and they'll give you lots of tips. That's where I learned so many tips on what beans to cook for how long and that type of thing.

Happy Bean Eating!

This. My 3 year old want to eat this like every night.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/arroz-congri-cuban-rice-and-black-beans/

I also like making a 4 bean salad, although 2 of the beans are green beans and wax beans which don't seem to be what you mean...but I do put kidneys and chickpeas in there.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16121/four-bean-salad/

For decent bean recipes I like vegetarian cook books. Here is the link to the beans page over at thug kitchen. I like that it makes beans a main course. (you might have to click on beans as the ingredient)

http://www.thugkitchen.com/archive

This is a great recipe!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Total time: 70 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Spinach Lentil Ragout Over Pasta
Ingredients

1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 medium-sized onion, peeled but left intact, plus 1/2 onion minced
1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils
3 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 box rainbow spiral pasta (or about 2 cups any uncooked pasta you'd like)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 1/2 cups tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
4 cups spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Cooking Directions
In a saucepan, bring one cup water to a boil, and add in the cinnamon stick, the intact 1/4 onion, and the lentils. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils have absorbed the water. Discard the cinnamon stick and the onion. Then add in 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and stir to combine. Set aside.
While the lentils are simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente.
As the lentils and pasta are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, minced onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the wine and thyme, and allow the wine to reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cayenne pepper, and stir to combine. Let the mixture cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the lentils to the vegetable and spice mixture, and cook on low heat for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, letting them absorb the flavor. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the ragout seems dry. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach, turn off the heat, and cover the mixture to allow the spinach to wilt.
In a casserole dish, spoon a small amount of the ragout into the bottom of the dish, and spread a layer of pasta. Then layer ragout on top of that. If you use shells, be sure that the ragout makes it into the inside of the shells. Top off the mixture with cheese, and place the dish on the center rack. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the pasta noodles are soft.
Plate, serve and enjoy!