Beans: budget-friendly and delicious (part 1)

Dried beans are a great food bargain and one of my favorite ingredients for cooking the $2 Dinners way. A budget-friendly deal at about one third of what you would pay for canned beans, dried beans also lend themselves to a wide variety of flavors and cuisines, and they are super-easy to prepare. The best part however, is that not only are they a great value, beans also pack a healthy punch. Fiber-rich and full of protein, several studies suggest that beans help prevent cancer and reduce cholesterol as well. With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why beans are a favorite ingredient here at $2 Dinners, and why I am featuring them in a 3-part series!

In this 3-part series on beans, I’ll give you a basic recipe for cooking a specific type of dried bean, and then a second recipe that shows you just one of the many ways you can use it. In part 1 of the series, we’ll look at an easy way to cook black-eyed peas (contrary to what the name says they are beans- not peas), and then we’ll use them in Hoppin’ John, a traditional dish served on New Year’s Day here in the south. Are you ready? Let’s cook some beans!

Click on the orange boxes for printable versions of the recipes
Easy Black-Eyed Peas (makes 6 servings @ about 89 cents per serving)


Hoppin’ John (makes 4-6 servings @ about $1.35 per serving)