Beans Beans,The Magical Food.

This is my view for the day.

And this. I'm making aprons for several ladies who want to purchase aprons at my mom's work. I don't know how it happened, but I now have a Rep as "Extraordinary Apron Maker." Which is hysterical. I have known how to sew since I was a little girl. But it doesn't mean I'm very good at it.

In fact, this little pin cushion I have had since I was 12. I got it in San Fransisco one summer. In China Town. Don't look at it too close. I'm not sure what's on it. It certainly looks like it is almost 30 years old.

I thought instead of working on apron strings (which is my least favorite part of apron making...hence the Big Diversion of Blogging) I would tell you about one of my favorite healthy, really cheap foods.

The Bean.

I love beans. I'm sorry if you don't. Really. I am. Beans are not only economical, but they pretty much a perfect food. So healthy and wonderful.

I cook beans on Monday. I make a main dish for the family and then I sometimes fix a pot of lentils to divide up for my lunches for the week. Lentils are cheap. They cost under $2 a bag and I get at least 2 weeks out of one bag.

One of my favorite bean meals is a pot of beans, a batch of my homemade salsa, brown rice and this recipe for chimichurri sauce. Josiah has even found he loves Black Beans. Though in our house we call them "Darth Vader Beans."

Another great resource for my bean cooking I found at the library. It is going to have to be one of my future purchases, but for now I have been busily scratching down the recipes I like.

It is called Spilling The Beans  and it is genius. It even has desserts and breakfast foods!

I prefer buying dry beans and cooking them from scratch, but I am not opposed to canned beans if I need them. Sometimes it's just plain easier. The following  recipe is one I took to a church function this summer. My Dad had plenty of green onions in the garden and there was a few cans of beans on hand.

It has many names, but I have most commonly heard it referred to as "Texas Caviar." My recipe nixes the bottled salad dressings I find in so many of the recipes. I also like this particular dish because it you can use any kind of bean you might have on hand.

Aren't these onions pretty? These came from Dad's garden. I made a pretty big batch so there are quite a few onions here.

My recipe calls for Balsamic vinegar, but really. You need to just use what you have. Don't rush out and by special vinegar if you already have a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar in your pantry. Speaking of Apple Cider Vinegar...I have a really sad story involving my bottle of raw organic Apple Cider Vinegar and a fly. RIP.

Easy Peasy! I'll give you the recipe on down, but doesn't it look festive?

I served it in my Mom's Bean Pot from Celebrating Home. Yummo!

Here is the Recipe. Go whip some up! And Eat your Beans! (please)

Large Lime or lemon, Juiced
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
¼ tsp. Salt (or to taste...I like the 'Taste and See' method
1  Can Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, Thawed (I have also used canned corn..shhh! don't tell!)
1 Medium Tomato, Diced
6-8 Thin Green Onions, Sliced (1/2 cup)

1 clove of garlic, minced (optional, but I like a bit of bite)
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1  Avocado, Chopped ...(also optional)

Combine the lime or lemon juice, vinegar, cumin and salt in a bowl. Add in the beans, corn, green onions, garlic and cilantro. Stir to mix well. Before you serve it add in the tomato and avocado.