Black Bean Basics

When Irving Naxon invented his Naxon Beanery, a precursor to the Crock Pot, it was a gift. It brought tender and flavorful food to millions of tables throughout America and beyond.

But what has this got to do with back to school season and Black Bean Basics? 

At this time of year we typically focus on parents and how to get back into the swing of dinner during term time. This August is no exception with the added dimension on arming novice young adult cooks as they find their way and head into new and uncertain territory living in off-campus housing this year. 

When Meg’s 3 little birds flew the nest, she sent them all off with a slow cooker and Zen blends. The recipes and directions are online and on the packet so getting started is easy. The slow cooker needs just a little counter space and can provide all the comfort of a home cooked meal. 

In addition to the device and the spices, you can learn a lot with the help of our friend Katie Morford Dietician, Food Writer, and Cookbook Author. Katie has guided her own three children through to young adulthood so has plenty of tips up her sleeve. In her latest cookbook “Prep: The Essential College Cookbook” she helps prepare the reader with basic techniques and essential skills (like using knife).

Chapters on wholesome breakfasts to keep you going for longer; awesome salad dressings to perk up your greens; simple suppers with friends; and recipes for bite sized treats Katie shares her wisdom. Follow her Weeknight Rescue and Quaran-teen Cooking series over on Instagram where you can watch her demo the real thing from her kitchen.

We recommend starting with simple recipes to find initial success. Here from our own Zen kitchen we see how a simple pot of seasoned black beans can go a very long way! 

What’s so brilliant about beans?

• Budget friendly simple recipes. Cook them in a crock pot while you’re gone all day. 
• Simple meals spoon them into a lunch container with salad and a dressing to take to class. 
• Low fat healthy source of protein, fiber and calcium to keep you going throughout the day
• Batch cook perfectly for recipes to see you through the week
• Refrigerate cooked beans for up to 5 days
• Freezer friendly for up to 6 months

Beans are Not Boring!

Additional bean recipes include:

• quesadillas
• enchilada bowls
• buddha bowls
• chicken taco salad with black beans
• black bean soup
• squash & black bean chili
• Black bean avo toast with sriracha
• Taco filling topped with fresh, crunchy slaw, hot sauce, sour cream, and feta cheese

Print Recipe

Black Bean Quesadillas

Servings: 6

Ingredients

For a simple pot of seasoned beans

• 1 cup 8oz dried black beans, rinsed and picked over (or 2 x 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained)
• 1 Southwest Fiesta blend
• 1 1/2 cups water or 1 cup water if using canned beans
• 1 tsp salt

For the quesadillas

• olive oil spray
• 12 flour tortilla
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 cups tomato sauce

Instructions

• Slow Cook: Add the dried beans, Southwest Fiesta blend, water, & salt to the cooker 2) Cover and cook on LOW: 8 - 9 hours or HIGH: 3 - 4hours. (If using cooked, canned beans reduce cook time on LOW to 3-4 hours or HIGH 2 hours) 3) Spoon onto taco salad or use in chili, tortillas, buddha bowls & more. 4) For Quesadillas: Heat a skillet on medium & spray with olive oil 1) place a tortilla into the skillet; sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella on top; 1/2 cup of the cooked black beans; & 1/3 cup of tomato sauce 2) top with a second tortilla and cook until cheese is melted on the underside (2 minutes) and flip onto the other side to cook for a further 2 minutes before serving.
• Pressure Cook: 1) Add the beans, Southwest Fiesta blend, water, & salt to the cooker 2) Secure the cooker lid, seal pressure valve; cook on Manual/Pressure for 25 minutes. (If using cooked, canned beans reduce cook time to 6 minutes) 3) Allow to Natural Pressure Release 4) Spoon beans onto taco salad or use in chili, tortillas, buddha bowls & more. 5) For Quesadillas: Heat a skillet on medium & spray with olive oil 1) place a tortilla into the skillet; sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella on top; 1/2 cup of the cooked black beans; & 1/3 cup of tomato sauce 2) top with a second tortilla and cook until cheese is melted on the underside (2 minutes) and flip onto the other side to cook for a further 2 minutes before serving.

Giveaway alert!

• Participate in our special draw for a basket bursting with goodies including;

? A copy of Katie’s cookbook Prep: The Essential College Cookbook
? an Instant Pot (slow cook, pressure cook, sauté)
? A variety pack of all natural herb and spice blends for the Instant Pot or slow cooker

• To Participate: simply follow @katiemorford and us on Instagram. For extra entries tag up to three friends.
• Open for entries – Open to US residents 18 + and deadline is midnight PST August 17th.

Zen Moment

“It was a singular experience that long acquaintance which I cultivated with beans, what with planting, and hoeing, and harvesting, and threshing, and picking over and selling them — the last was the hardest of all — I might add eating, for I did taste. I was determined to know beans.” Chapter 7 The Bean-Feld, Walden, By Henry David Thoreau