I am a vegetarian and I need more beans in my diet, but I am too scared to eat canned, but I think it is too difficult to make from dry

Cooking beans doesn't have to be intimidating. They should be washed first in several changes of water, then soaked for several hours--at least 3 or 4. Change the water before cooking, bring to a boil, then turn heat down so they simmer. They really don't usually take me hours and hours of simmering (if from a reliable source!). I usually simmer with a whole peeled onion for seasoning, then, when tender, I proceed with the recipe, i.e. I might saute garlic and minced onion, a fresh bay leaf, spices, etc. Add acidic ingredients like tomato only after the beans are tender.

Adding a strip of dried kombu/kelp/ seaweed helps break down the gas-producing elements and makes a high-bean diet more....socially acceptable.

I made pork and beans (you would omit the pork) in a slow cooker (my recipe was from the 8th edition of Fanny Farmer). It turned out very nicely, much better than the canned type of pork and beans, but recognizably the same dish. There are tons of slow cooker bean recipes on the web, and personally I like coming home to a meal that is already cooked after a day at work. If you eat cheese, you can grate a little aged cheddar on top of your plate of cooked beans for an easy flavour boost, plus it would add some fat to replace the fat pork in the original recipe.

I also don't like canned beans, and it is cheaper to cook your own from dry bulk. I follow Mark Bittman's bean cooking instructions from How To Cook Anything, which gives basic directions and a comprehensive chart for water ratios, and times. The basic idea is (a) add legumes to a large amount of unsalted cold water (b) bring to a boil - turn down and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, covered (c) turn off flame and let sit for a while --- between one and several hours, unattended. (but not overnight, b/c they can begin to ferment, really). (d) turn back on heat, and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer again for as long as it takes to cook the beans till tender but not mush. This varies, so use Bittman's chart. I can’t find a copy online, which is too bad, b/c it is a great guide. I cook my beans in claypots and make about 3 cans worth at a time, and freeze for later use in their cooking liquid. Add salt and seasonings when you are using the banes is a full recipe, you can use them just like canned beans. If you keep them a little firm after the first cook, they will soften after freezeing-defrosting-cooking. This method does not work well for lentils, but is PERFECT for garbanzos.

I don't buy canned beans bc I can always "taste the can." And most cans do leach chemicals into whatever is inside them. But there is nothing difficult about cooking dried beans. You do need to soak them for a number of hours, but the fresher they are, the less soaking they need, because they absorb the liquid more quickly. I prefer to order the heirloom organic beans from Rancho Gordo, and I find often they are ready to cook in less that 4 hours.

I'm not sure what frightens you about canned beans, they are basically the same as if you had soaked and cooked them yourself. Rehydrating beans can be time consuming, which is why I prefer canned. Just make sure that there aren't any added ingredients (like salt) in the ones you buy. I'm actually eating some as I type this.

I made black bean "soup" by sauteing half an onion in a little butter, adding half a zucchini I had laying in the fridge, adding 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 cans of black beans, a cup of frozen corn, and letting it simmer on the stove until it all hot. I had a little extra broccoli, so I threw it in also this time. Quick, easy, filling, nutritious. You can also serve it over some rice if you like.

Garbanzo, Kidney beans & black beans take a longer time to prepare, but you can easily cook the other kinds like black eyed peas, or adzuki (not to mention all the lentils & mung). you can just set them on a stove without any presoaking and boil them till they are done. If you use a pressure cooker the tougher beans are a snap to prep.

I love to make beans at home, but sometimes they can take a really long time to cook. After moving to Brazil and seeing that the majority of people eat beans every single day I realized that they all use pressure cooking pots. I went out and bought one and now I make beans much more frequently because it is so easy and fast with a pressure cooker. Just make sure to read and understand the directions for the pressure cooker before using. You can also make beans in a slow cooker, which obviously takes more time, but you can also just pop them in and forget about them for a long time which is really nice. When you make beans at home you get to control how much salt you use which is an advantage over canned beans. Now I use my pressure cooker to make pinto bean, black beans and even garbanzo beans (for making hummus).

This article may be of interest to you: https://food52.com/recipes/25048-basic-cooked-dried-beans

Also, do a search for "beans" and choose "articles" for additional information, including canned beans.

Camnned beans are very nutritious. Who said they are "a bad product"? Relax. Let this phase of you food life a little easy. :) Bring the beans and water to a boil. Reduce the heat until they are slowly bubbling. Cover and simmer until the beans are soft. That usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. Sometimes longer..sometimes less.

Why are you afraid of canned beans? Cooking from dry is sooo easy. Soak overnight in water. Drain and rinse. Cover with water and simmer until done. You can add onions, garlic, carrots and/or celery to add flavor.