Beans are a great source of vitamins and protein. However, if you use the canned varieties, you often end up with a lot more sodium in your meal than you planned. Canned beans are convenient, and for this reason, I use them when time is running tight.

One way to lower the sodium from canned beans is to pour them into a colander, drain and rinse entirely. Of course, you can buy “low sodium” labeled beans.

The best way to control the amount of sodium in your beans, is to buy dried beans and cook them yourself. It’s a simple process, but it requires a little bit of time.

Directions

Use 1 cup of beans with 3 cups of cold water. Place in a pan and simmer according to the chart below.

Bean …  Time …  Yield

Black … 1 hr … 2.5 cups
Black Eyed Peas … 1 – 1.5 hr …  3 cups
Boston Bean … 1 – 1.5 hr …  3 cups
Butter Bean … 45 min – 1 hr …  2.5 cups
Cannellini … 45 min – 1 hr …  2.5 cups
Chick Peas …  1.5 – 2 hr …  3 cups
Cow Peas … 1 hr …  3 cups
Field Peas …  1 hr …  3 cups
Garbanzo Beans …  1.5 – 2 hr … 3 cups
Great White …  45 mins … 2.7 cups
Lentils …  20-25 mins … 3 cups
Lima Beans …  45 min – 1 hr …  2.5 cups
Navy Bean … 45 min – 1 hr … 2.5 cups
Pigeon Peas … 45 min – 1 hr … 3 cups
Pink Peas …  1 hr …  3 cups
Pinto Bean … 45 min – 1 hr … 3 cups
Red Kidney Bean …  45 min – 1 hr … 2.5 cups
Split Green Peas … 30 mins … 2 cups
White Kidney Bean … 45 min – 1 hr … 2.5 cups

from 1992 Reader’s Digest Live Longer Cookbook

Do not add seasonings until the beans are finished cooking. Salt will cause the beans to have a tough skin if added during the cooking time.

Cooked White Beans

Some Apron Free Cooking recipes using beans:

Bean Soup with Corn
Ham and Bean Soup
Black Bean Salsa
Prize Winning Chili
Cowboy Beans

Tell me in the comments below: What is your favorite recipe that uses beans? 

To download a Free PDF Copy of the How to Cook Beans Chart, click here.

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