I cook my beans in water without anything added. I don't eat them from the pot, but use them in a variety of recipes.

I have beans cooking right now I'm going to freeze some and see how they do. They are Red Nightfall beans from Rancho Gordo. I failed to ask if you freeze them drained or in their cooking liquid. I hope they freeze drained!

Suzanne - I freeze them drained. No worries

I love dried beans, but I have a bit of an issue. The only cooking equipment I have available to me is a microwave. Does anyone know of a way to prepare dried beans in a microwave?

CookieQueen, unfortunately no as beans require hours of cooking in boiling water. Are you able to get a crockpot?

We bought a crockpot for $3 at a thrift store a few months ago. It was taped together, but didn't look like it had been used much, but I found out when I got home it probably hadn't been used at all, because the heating element was absolutely spotless. Since then, I've noticed that crockpots seem to be very common in thrift stores for really good prices.

I'm reading the Superfoods Diet book and it's quite good. Since I'm semi new to the idea of using beans, the author's suggestion makes sense. Start out picking "two" beans like garbanzo and black beans so there aren't too many choices. Then figure out how to incorporate those choices into healthy eating. I like his idea too of making Monday's soup & salad days. I've always bought canned soups and I'd like to try to figure out how to make some of my own with beans.

And the author makes Wednesday's vegetarian days, beans, veggies, etc. Fat burgers and steaks contributed to my weight gain I'm sure and they say that beans are better for you. I don't want to become a vegetarian - but I'm thinking sticking with turkey, chicken, soy burgers and only steak as a treat on my semi cheat days... Certainly I can figure out what to do with dried garbanzo and black beans to start with?

I have two recipe books - one for recipes not tried, one for recipes that I tried and like... so I'll go through the Superfoods diet book and others, plus online and will find some recipes. The crock pot seems the easiest to me, just throw stuff in and viola, dinner. I work at home and the smells are relaxing too. That hummus from Safeway seems to have gone up to almost $4 per container, so I bought some ground up sesame to mix with garbanza beans and other spices. I believe this is what you do. I'll find a good basic recipe for hummus, then varieties of spices to add. I'm lifting weights so they say hummus is good, also in the rice category concous mixed with tomatoes and other things, but that doesn't take so long like dried beans.

Couscous is essentially a pasta! It just looks a bit like rice

It's one that turns out quite well in the whole wheat version, so look for it. Traditionally, I think it would be a refined flour just like other pastas.

Couscous is really easy to make. All you need is to boil some water (you can even do it in the microwave but don't put it in too long). Pour over the couscous, stir until liquid is absorbed, wait 5 minutes, then fluff.

Actually, I bought a microwave pressure cooker that I used to cook dried beans (after soaking) for years. So, yes - you can cook beans in the microwave

Ah yes, big couscous fan here also. We make a mango couscous that is always a crowd pleaser.

But, apparently, it wasn't always so easy. Found an older cook book that explains the three steps to cook couscous; after the first boil you lay it out on a baking sheet to dry, crumbling it with your hands so it won't clump. In the last step it is placed in the top half of a couscous steamer while the bottom half contains the lamb stew whose steam finishes cooking the couscous while adding flavor. (googled and found that you can still buy a couscous steamer!)

I like the ease of the current stuff. Yep, whole wheat tastes great.

I didn't know there were microwave pressure cookers, thats pretty interesting.

I think the current couscous must have the first step already done for you. I have heard you can steam couscous as well as just pour boiling water over it. I've never tried steaming it though.

How many days do cooked beans keep in the refrigerator?

A week is usually my time limit but I generally try to eat a batch of beans within 4-5 days.

patty girl,
have you looked into natural sea salt?
http://www.drbrownstein.com/singleproduct.asp?id=789
http://www.celticseasalt.com/Celtic_Sea_Salt_C3.cfm

I like to add fresh parsley to my beans and rice or in the summer months i have chives from my garden. cracked pepper or paprika are 2 seasonings i sprinkle on dishes alot.

hope that helps,
kathy.