Any frugal site will suggest this but it can't hurt to repeat—beans are the frugal cook's best friend. They are nutritious, versatile and very cheap. Unfortunately, not too many western cooks know what to do with them. What follows is what I've learned plus some links to other people's advice.

You can buy canned beans to use in recipes but it's definitely cheaper to buy them dried and cook them yourself. They're also much tastier done this way. To cook beans, the first thing that you need to do is clean them and make sure there are no stones. Then, to cook them the traditional way, put them in some water the night before or as little as four hours before cooking them. Next, drain the rinse water and put them in a pot with about double their volume of water. Bring them to a boil and then turn them down to minimum heat and let them simmer until they become soft. This will take about 1 hour depending on the type of beans, their age, and your altitude. You'll want some bubble but not a boil. If they're boiling too rapidly, they will break apart and the skins will come off.

There are a few ways that you can make cooking beans faster or easier. If you forget to set them out to soak, you can do a "fast soak". Put the beans in a pot and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and set them aside for 1 hour to soak, then proceed as above. You can also cook them in a slow cooker. You don't need to soak them if you're going to do this. Cook them on high for about 6 hours or until done. I've found that I prefer to use my pressure cooker to cook them. I don't soak them when I do this, and they only take a 1/2 hour at full pressure to cook. I would strongly suggest investing in a pressure cooker if you want to make beans a regular part of your diet. They're easy to use, consume less energy then other cooking methods, and will help frugal cooking be more realistic. I've easily made my money back with my pressure cooker. You may be able to find one used.

When I first started using beans and legumes, the only thing I knew how to make was chili. Beans are so much more versatile than chili! One thing that you might want to do is borrow some cook books from your library and experiment with Mexican and Indian cooking. Both of these cultures use a lot of legumes and inexpensive ingredients. I have found that most beans and legumes taste good mixed with fried garlic and onion with optional tomatoes. This can be served with rice or corn bread. You'll be surprised how good it will taste. Just be generous with the oil until you're used to the taste. Another thing that I do regularly when I'm short for time, is serve rice and beans with tomato sauce or salsa. It's not spectacular but it's definitely a hearty dinner, and I’ll take this over macaroni and cheese or canned soup any day. Adding beans to soups is also really nice, especially in the winter. In the summertime, try different bean or lentil salads. If you don't like one bean recipe, try another. Once you try the different varieties of beans in different ways you'll find what you like and you won't turn back. Saying that you don't like beans is like saying that you don't like vegetables. There are so many different types and ways to cook them that it's impossible to dislike them all.

f you use beans, your body will get used to them. It's true, or at least it has been in my family’s experience. We usually eat beans (in one form or another) 4 times per week at dinner and then at lunch the next day. Believe it or not, gas is not a normal experience for us. I did have problems with beans and gas when I was younger and only ate them in chili once every few months. If you're having trouble, soaking the beans before cooking them and then draining the water is supposed to help.