I'm having a tough time finding easy recipes that use dried beans vs. canned. They are much more affordable for how much you get, and I prefer the lower sodium content.

Can anyone share any good recipes? Anything would be appreciated, and a pretty gold star for anyone who has something suitable for a 2 1/2 qt crock pot!

Anything you can do with canned beans, you can use the dried, just soak them first over night. They then need an hours cooking time. I never use recipes, I just make things up as I go along!!! But normally a bean dish would involve onions and garlic sauteed first, then lots of veggies, beans and some stock, either chicken or vegetable (broth I think you might know it as) and sometimes a tin of tomatoes, and whatever herbs and spices I have hanging about. You could easily do this in a crock pot, I don't own one at present.

Baked Beans - from the g.i. diet revised

2 cups dry navy beans or small white beans
8 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes (796 ml)
4 oz lean black forest ham chopped
1 large red onion finely chopped
1 can tomato paste (156 ml)
1/4 cup brown sugar substitute-**
**Makes: enough to replace 1 cup standard brown sugar
1 cup SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
1/4 cup Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (made with SPLENDAŽ Brand Sweetener)
Pour ingredients into a small mixing bowl and mix well. Use as brown sugar in your favorite baked recipes where brown sugar is required. Makes 1/4 cup (enough to replace 1 cup of standard brown sugar).
http://splenda.com/recipe_detail.jh..._brownsugar.inc
2 Tbls. dijon mustard
1 Tbls worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tabasco
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Rinse beans a place in large pot filled with water, cover and let stand over night. Next day drain and rinse.
Add 8 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Drain the beans and reserve cooking liquid.
preheat oven to 300 f
In large pot combine 1 cup reserved liquid and ingredients. cover and bake for 2 1/2 hours, uncover and cook 1 hour till thick.
Makes 8 servings
Chari

Found this recipe from The Good Carb Cookbook.

Country Bean and ham

Yield: 7 servings
1 ¼ cups navy or white beans
5 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup sliced celery (include the leaves)
2 tsp. Ham or chicken bouillon granules ( I use low sodium )
¼ tsp. Ground black pepper
1 ½ cups diced ham (at least 97% lean)
1 ½ cups small new potatoes , cut into ¾ inch chunks ( I use yukon gold potatoes)
¾ cup diced carrots
1 ½ cups packed chopped fresh spinach

Rinse the beans well and place in a 4 quart pot. Cover the beans with several inches of water and discard any beans that float to the top. Soak the beans for at least 4 hours, or for as long as 12 hours. (If soaking the beans for more than 4 hours, place them in a bowl or pot and refridgerate)

Discard the soaking water and return the beans to the pot. Add 5 cups water, onions, celery, bouillon and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cover, simmer stirring occasionally, for one hour.
Add ham, potatoes and carrots to the pot, and cook for 45 minutes more or until the beans are soft and the liquid is thick. Add a little more water during cooking if necessary. Add the spinach and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

GI rating low