Easy Crock Pot Black Beans(no soaking)

My semi-vegan eating this past year has led to an increase in black beans in my diet(1/2 C = 7 g protein)...and while canned beans are OK (especially the low salt variety, rinsed)....these REAL beans are so simple, allow you to really control the salt, seasonings, and are even cheaper...plus if you have beans in your food storage, it's good to be in the habit of cooking/using them...

Just...

1. Dump the dry beans out and get rid of any little rocks or discolored beans...don't worry about the broken ones; then put in a colander and rinse.

2. Dump into your crock pot (tip: get some slow cooker liners and you'll eliminate cleaning!)

3. Chop up one onion and dump on top of beans.

4. Add 1 t Cumin

5. Cover with water (about 5 cups)

6. Cook on high about 3 hours. Drain and refrigerate or freeze.This equals about 3-4 cans of beans (16 oz)

7. You could jazz these up a bit with chili powder, etc...and add a bit of salt.

FYI...you don't need to presoak black beans. Red or kidney beans do require soaking and boiling in order to get rid of a toxin!

There is some thought that soaking overnight and discarding the water will remove some of the flatulence producing enzymes. 

When I soaked my black beans they tended to split open a bit even before cooking...and the cooked beans were a bit "exploded" looking...which probably doesn't matter much...just saying, non-soaked beans will be a bit firmer.

Also, a quick way to get the benefits of soaking(reduced gassiness?)  is to cover beans with cold water, bring to a boil, cover, turn off heat and let sit in the hot water for at least an hour. Drain this water off and add fresh water for cooking. Some suggest adding a tiny pinch of baking soda to the soaking water.