black beans

Sometimes it's nice to prepare a big bowl of beans; then, you can use the beans over and over again to make different dishes throughout the week. Tonight I suggest you throw together a pot of these fragrant and flavorful black beans. The recipe calls for canned beans, so you don't have to worry about overnight-soaking or cooking for a long period of time. Serve the beans in a crispy taco shell, layered between two soft tortillas as quesadillas, or tossed with greens in a hearty salad. To get the fast and easy recipe, keep reading.

I've been sticking to a double-whammy of a New Year's resolution: to eat healthy as well as on a budget. Every day starts with a wholesome, homemade breakfast — whether it's one that's on-the-go for weekdays, or a more involved (but still relaxed!) weekend brunch.

My latest Saturday a.m. staple is this unusual omelet, filled with cumin-laced black beans and crumbled feta. It's everything one could ask for in a breakfast — salty, creamy, and filling — but it clocks in at under 350 calories and about $1.50 per serving. You can't beat that! Want the recipe? Then read on.

Now that we know who is going to the Super Bowl, it's time to get started on a Super Bowl party menu. Rather than clutter the table with junk food, consider making a bunch of healthy killer appetizers. Spicy black bean and sweet potato cakes are full of flavor and bound to satisfy even the hungriest of appetites.

While it looks like they have been pan fried, these cakes are actually cooked under the broiler with a minimal amount of oil. If you don't want to use full-fat sour cream, try substituting light sour cream or yogurt for the same great taste. Or jazz up the dipping sauce with extra jalapeno. Not only are these a great starter, but served with a salad, they are also a scrumptious vegetarian dinner. Heat up your broiler and keep reading for the recipe.

Black beans are versatile little legumes. Served up as a side dish to a heart healthy meal or part of a cheesy and greasy plate of Mexican enchiladas, I love the little guys. But perhaps the recipe I find most delectable (and healthy!) is a tangy bowl of black bean soup. Add a bit of broth, a few veggies, and some seasoning and you've got yourself a low calorie yet protein packed stew of nutrition that is sure to fill the belly and leave a smile on your face.

Want to check out the beany-licious recipe?

YumSugar member girlA loves to share her vegan recipes. Today, she makes spicy black bean burgers in The Dairy-Free Diva Recipe Exchange cooking group.
Yep, they are as good as they look! They are also simple to make and you can either grill them or bake them in the oven. I went the oven route as I was afraid they’d fall apart on the grill. These go great with the coleslaw that I made earlier today, which can also be easily thrown together while the burgers are baking.

Make today a meatless Monday when you read more

Firing up the barbecue doesn't have to be a production of epic proportions; there are measures that can be taken, just like in any other cooking method, to have something on the table in under 30 minutes. Make inexpensive Summer corn the star of the meal as the fresh topping on a wheat pizza, utilizing pantry staples like canned black beans, barbecue sauce, and smoked mozzarella to play supporting roles. It'll be ready when the toppings have melted together and the bottom's been graced with grill marks. For the recipe, keep reading.

Who says an affordable meal has to be boring? This recipe for coconut mango chicken proves that exotic doesn't always mean expensive. For just under $10, you can feed four people with an exciting chicken preparation. Simply simmer boneless breasts in a mixture of coconut milk and chicken broth. Add chunks of fresh mango and serve with a side of black beans. Voila! Not your regular weekly chicken, but still a dinner that's quick, uncomplicated, and most important, scrumptious. To get the recipe, read more

When I was little, I always enjoyed tostadas, with their crunchy shell and heaping pile of toppings, more than tacos. However, these days, thanks to the wild popularity of tacos, tostadas are often forgotten. That's why I say it's time to embrace the toastada with this amazing-sounding recipe! It layers chunks of flaky salmon with a creamy black bean spread, crunchy cabbage, and tangy sour cream. Although the ingredient list calls for canned salmon, I'll splurge on a fillet of the pink-fleshed fish. To celebrate the deliciousness that is the tostada, read more

I'm crazy about dips, and when I spent the holidays in Costa Rica, I fell in love with a black bean dip called frijoles molidos. While this specialty is served at many places, my favorite version was in Tamarindo at Eat @ Joe's. Basically frijoles molidos are refried black beans that are pureed and seasoned with cheese, then served hot with tortilla chips.

If you love black beans, you'll love this dip. It's creamy, rich, and insanely addictive. You could use canned black beans, but taking the time to soak and cook dried beans really does make a difference in flavor. The chef at Eat @ Joe's told me the dip is made with two kinds of Costa Rican cheese, but I found a combination of pepper jack and Monterey jack works perfectly.

This dip makes a delicious start to a Central American feast and it would be a wonderful addition to a March madness spread. For the recipe, read more

This story was written by member lauren and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.I love Mexican food but I must admit I have always bought canned refried beans. Feeling brave, I decided to try to make my own. The actual hands on time is pretty minimal but I did have to soak the beans and also cook them for nearly 2 hours. But the end result was delicious and well worth the wait. If you want to make them vegetarian you can easily substitute the bacon drippings for oil but boy does that bacon add a lot of flavor!

To get her recipe, keep reading.