“Among the most inexpensive of foods, dried beans offer a bounty of fiber, iron, protein, folic acid and B vitamins. Black beans, also known as “turtle beans,” are an especially tasty variety, and make a lovely soup. Do not salt dried beans until they are cooked, as the salt slows down the softening process. On another note, so-called “cooking” wines or sherries contain lots of added salt. Do your palate and your body a favor and use a drinkable sherry in this recipe."

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This thick meal brims with vegetables. The tang comes from a spoonful of vinegar that is tossed with toasted bread and added to the soup at the end of cooking."
Advance preparation: You can make this through step 4 up to a day ahead of serving. You might want to hold off adding the chard until you reheat if you want it to have a nice color. Bring the soup to a simmer, add the chard and simmer 10 minutes, then proceed with step 5.

“I like this simple, high-protein combination with an uncooked tomato sauce, but it also can be made with a more traditional cooked sauce. Substitute cooked tomato sauce for the first six ingredients below, then stir in the chickpeas before tossing with the pasta.”

“These tacos are a beautiful way to serve black beans, which contain at least eight different flavonoids — phytonutrients with anti-oxidant properties. One caution, though: canned beans may contain high levels of sodium, which usually can be reduced by rinsing the beans in water. These black beans can’t be rinsed, of course, and in fact will be reduced. Avoid the temptation to add salt to this recipe.”
Advance preparation: The refried black beans will keep for three days in the refrigerator. You will have to moisten and thin them with water when reheating.

“If you like hummus, you like chickpeas. They’re a versatile legume, welcome in salads and soups, stews and pastas. This pretty summer salad is quickly assembled. You can also make it in winter without the tomatoes.”
Advance preparation: The salad can be assembled several hours before you wish to serve it. Keep in the refrigerator. Leftovers are good the next day.

You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto. (It’s pesto without the pine nuts.) A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, provides great depth of flavor without additional fat. On a hot summer day in Italy, the soup might be served at room temperature or just barely warm.
Advance preparation: The soup can be made through step 2 a day or two ahead. It improves overnight. If you’re making the soup ahead, cook the pasta separately and add to the soup, along with the green beans on the day you are serving it.

Good, can use spinach here as well.

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