I find menu planning to be easier and less stressful when I’ve got cooked proteins ready to go in the fridge. They become the foundation for which I build my meals around, and also ensure I don’t get stuck in a food rut, eating the same thing over and over. I aim for 3 to 4 cooked proteins for variety.
Beans are a good source of fiber and iron, so I try to include them in a few meals a week. My daughter is not much of a meat eater, so they’re also great to have in the fridge for her to use for meals. Above, they’re pictured as part of a chicken quesadilla meal. You can use this bean recipe on its own or combined with another protein to make burritos, tacos, and pretty much anything else you’d use canned beans in.
Much as I love cooking beans from dry, the reality of life is that canned beans are just faster sometimes. With a little doctoring, they go from boring and bland to something really delicious. You can use taco spice in place of smoked paprika if you want. A little bit of cumin is a nice addition, too.
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