And as we’ve gradually moved almost entirely away from meat consumption, they’ve taken on an ever bigger role in our cooking.
But even if you’re not vegetarian or even remotely interested in becoming one, legumes are terrific additions to a family’s menus because they’re so darned versatile.
A testament to that is their frequent appearance on the ingredient list of diverse and delicious recipes from all over the world.
They’re also very cheap. Eaten as the main course, they deliver meals at rock bottom prices.
And when added to stews, soups, or sauces that are meat-based, they can extend the number of servings considerably, stretching food budget dollars in the process.
Now, most people use the canned version of beans and other legumes. And that’s fine and quick.
But using dry legumes is the most economical way to buy and use them. So if you’re really interested in cutting your food costs, this is one easy way to do that.