Your family budget depends on your ability to stretch your paycheck as far as you can, and then to stretch it even further. Most families will agree that money spent at the grocery store can be trimmed a great deal with some smart shopping and cooking. You don't have to give up nutrition when your budget is tight if you embrace this frugal classic; the black bean.
We all find ourselves searching the grocery store for something to cook for the family that won't take our last few dollars. When you find yourself standing in the middle of the store ready to give up, wander over and take a look at the black beans. First take a look at the price. Then take a look at the nutrition label. How can something with the nutrients you need like protein, calcium, iron, and fiber, also be so inexpensive, and low fat, too? When you can feed your family a healthy, delicious meal for literally pennies per serving, you should consider black beans a pantry must-have. How about a few quick and tasty meals that you can prepare for your family so they can fall in love with the wonderful black bean, too.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
You'll need 1 can each of black beans, garbanzo beans, butter beans, and navy beans (although you really can use any kinds of beans). In a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, add 1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped onion. Cook until celery is a little tender. Now add 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed and cook for just a minute. Open and drain, but do not rinse, all four bean cans and pour into pot. Add 1 small can diced tomatoes and 1 small can chicken broth. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes. It's ready to eat.
2) Bountiful Bean Salad
You'll be choosing your favorite canned beans for this salad, keeping in mind color and texture; favorites like black beans, butter beans, navy beans, kidney beans, waxed beans, and whatever else you like. Drain and rinse all the beans and put them in a large serving bowl. To the beans, add some sweet onion, or green onion including the tops, chopped celery, freshly chopped parsley, maybe some fresh rosemary, or whatever herb you like, and top it all with a little shake or two of a very good vinaigrette salad dressing, I use Paul Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. You've got yourself a kid-friendly and nutritious salad.
3) 30 Second Black Beans with Taco Seasoning
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 Salad with Cottage Cheese
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) Black Bean Burrito Harvest
Throwing a burrito together with just a few items in the house is easy when you have a can of black beans in the pantry. Start with a flour or corn tortilla, warm it up if you like, and put it on a plate. Next, drain your canned black beans and rinse them well. Now, just start adding whatever you have. I start by placing some black beans on my tortilla, then adding a little onion, celery, chopped parsley if I have it, some chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese, leftover rice, pieces of fish leftover from last night, and anything else I can see in the refrigerator that needs to be eaten. But, I like the black beans to dominate my burrito, for flavor, nutrition, and cost. Now, just top it with a bit of salsa or taco sauce and you've got yourself a great inexpensive meal
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.
We all find ourselves searching the grocery store for something to cook for the family that won't take our last few dollars. When you find yourself standing in the middle of the store ready to give up, wander over and take a look at the black beans. First take a look at the price. Then take a look at the nutrition label. How can something with the nutrients you need like protein, calcium, iron, and fiber, also be so inexpensive, and low fat, too? When you can feed your family a healthy, delicious meal for literally pennies per serving, you should consider black beans a pantry must-have. How about a few quick and tasty meals that you can prepare for your family so they can fall in love with the wonderful black bean, too.
1) Simple Four Bean Soup
You'll need 1 can each of black beans, garbanzo beans, butter beans, and navy beans (although you really can use any kinds of beans). In a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, add 1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped onion. Cook until celery is a little tender. Now add 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed and cook for just a minute. Open and drain, but do not rinse, all four bean cans and pour into pot. Add 1 small can diced tomatoes and 1 small can chicken broth. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes. It's ready to eat.
2) Bountiful Bean Salad
You'll be choosing your favorite canned beans for this salad, keeping in mind color and texture; favorites like black beans, butter beans, navy beans, kidney beans, waxed beans, and whatever else you like. Drain and rinse all the beans and put them in a large serving bowl. To the beans, add some sweet onion, or green onion including the tops, chopped celery, freshly chopped parsley, maybe some fresh rosemary, or whatever herb you like, and top it all with a little shake or two of a very good vinaigrette salad dressing, I use Paul Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. You've got yourself a kid-friendly and nutritious salad.
3) 30 Second Black Beans with Taco Seasoning
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 Salad with Cottage Cheese
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) Black Bean Burrito Harvest
Throwing a burrito together with just a few items in the house is easy when you have a can of black beans in the pantry. Start with a flour or corn tortilla, warm it up if you like, and put it on a plate. Next, drain your canned black beans and rinse them well. Now, just start adding whatever you have. I start by placing some black beans on my tortilla, then adding a little onion, celery, chopped parsley if I have it, some chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese, leftover rice, pieces of fish leftover from last night, and anything else I can see in the refrigerator that needs to be eaten. But, I like the black beans to dominate my burrito, for flavor, nutrition, and cost. Now, just top it with a bit of salsa or taco sauce and you've got yourself a great inexpensive meal
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 behind ShowMomtheMoney.com - a fun and informative website to help moms achieve success working from home. She invites 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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