Everybody knows that beans are the musical fruit– and probably spent years of their childhood reveling in the fact. Perhaps this reputation is what turns a lot of adults off to eating beans as a main source of protein. After all, anything that was SO funny when they were kids can’t be something they should be eating now. But the truth is, beans are a wonderful source of protein. They come in all shapes and sizes, and best of all, they’re full of fiber and fill you up without adding a lot of fat to your meal.

And –lucky you!– cooking beans in the crock pot is probably the best way to make them.

Why You Should be Eating Beans

Aside from meats, beans are a food that provides lots of needed protein to our diets. And compared to fatty animal proteins, most beans have only about two grams of fat per serving. And plenty of fiber and nutrients and other good-for-you stuff.

Plus, it doesn’t take many to fill you up. Without having to add fat, a meal that including beans will fill you up faster and leave you filler longer. This makes them great if –like me– you’re watching your waistline but just can’t stand to go hungry. They make a light green salad look like just what it is in comparison– a pile of crunchy water.

Using Beans in the Crockpot

If you cook on the stove top, using dried beans can be a pain. But with the crockpot, it’s easy to use both cooked or dried beans. And dried beans are always best. Since salt and other preservatives are added to canned beans to lengthen their shelf life, you tend to lose some of the good for you ingredients found in dried beans, and they tend to get a bit soggy with over-cooking.

Some of the most popular beans for crockpot recipes are kidneys, garbanzos, black beans, white northern, navy, and pinto beans. And all of them need plenty of water to cook. Before setting out to make beans in the crockpot, take the time to soak your beans (overnight is best). This helps to soften them, and it also removes some the substances that give them the name “the musical fruit.”

When you’re ready to start your bean dish in the crockpot, drain the beans and add them to the crockpot along with any other desired ingredients, like garlic, onions, spices, etc. No matter which type of bean you’re using, make sure there’s enough liquid in the cooker to cover the beans completely. Also remember that the water will evaporate as the beans cook, and you may need to add more.

When cooking beans in the crockpot, it’s best to set the cooker on low and cook the beans for a long time to allow them to get tender. As long as you use the lowest setting, the beans shouldn’t overcook and become mushy.

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