Cooking beans from scratch

As a cost-cutting (and preservative/sodium/BPA-cutting) measure I started exclusively buying dried beans last month.  I had tried this before but all that soaking and the subsequent cooking never lined up well with my schedule.  I also tried the quick soak/boil method but I never got hooked.

That is, until I found out about the no-soak method.  No "gastric distress" either, in case you were wondering.  There are several explanations online so I'll spare you the details and give you all you need to know.

Ingredients:

• 1lb dried beans (I have used pinto, great northern, and black)
• Cold water

Tools:

• Oven-safe pot with lid
• Oven
• Colander

Directions:

1.  Turn oven to 250 degrees
2. Slowly pour beans into pot, picking out shriveled beans and any debris (the former is more likely than the latter).
3. Add water to cover beans plus a couple of inches and bring to a quick boil.
4. Immediately cover pot and place in oven for 70 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and drain.  Use in place of canned beans.

Just a tip:  A regular can of beans holds about 1.5 cups of beans plus about a half cup of (weirdly syrupy) liquid.

The beans do crack/break a little but they're so much healthier than canned that I don't mind... Not only that, I think they have a better texture.  And while they cook I can be busy with something else, and I don't have to plan very far ahead.  I cook the whole one-pound bag at once, freeze a couple of cans' worth, and usually use the rest in a bean soup or to make refried beans.