slow cooked pot of beans

the slow cooker gets used on a weekly basis in my kitchen. i use it most often to make a pot of beans. inexpensive, easy to make, and good for you, there are so many ways to serve them. combine them with stews, use them in a salad, or add meat or chicken to them. i like to top them with cheese and spoon them up from a bowl.

it's so simple there's really no recipe, but here is how i usually make them:

1 and 1/2 to 2 lbs. of dried legumes-

• azuki beans

• black eyed peas

• cannellini beans

• chick peas

• lentils

• lima beans

• pinto beans

• split peas

• or a mix of two or three kinds

1. rinse the beans and sort out any stones or discolored ones. in a large stock pot, cover the beans with cool water about 1 inch above the beans, and let them soak over night. 

2. in the morning, pour off the water and rinse them in a colander. put them in the slow cooker and cover them with fresh water just about 1/2 inch above the beans. add a cube of vegetable bouillon, and season them with a combination of dried herbs: oregano and rosemary / cumin, smoked chipotle chili powder, and garlic / ginger and just a little wasabi.

3. sometimes i add a half a chopped onion & a bay leaf. cover the pot and turn it to low. cook for about 8 hours. season with salt and pepper, and maybe a drizzle of olive oil, and they're ready to serve.