I have discovered, well not so much discovered but started eating large amounts of chickpeas and black beans, both of which I adore. The chickpeas I will make up into humus or other yummy middle-eastern type food. The black beans are wonderful with some brown rice and chicken breast. I am just wondering if you guys have any recipes or cooking tips for working with these two great foods.

most beans are great in soups. Chickpeas are good in salads as well.

Beans! Beans! The magical fruit...

I'll add a can of blackbeans to chilli and sometimes even salsa. Not terribly exciting, I know.

If you like black-eyed peas, Sleek is a great dish...

http://www.wqed.org/tv/cooks/recipes/213a.shtml

The flavor is surprisingly nice and the ingredients go well together.

When eating mexican I frequently combine a can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes (plus whatever spices happen to be handy) and eat it with rice.

Jamie Oliver has some great recipes which include beans.

Here's one which has tuna and other vegetables plus herbs:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/2004/02/04/chargrilled_tuna.php

black bean burritos:
start some brown rice cooking,
fry some onion & garlic,
rinse and add a can or two of black beans to the fry pan
add some cumin and a bit of cayanne
let it cook for a little while
put mixture on whole wheat tortillas,
add some low fat cheese and salsa,
wrap it like those Taco Time staff do,
heat in oven for a few minutes and voila... I just finished eating a left-over one moments ago...

I have discovered, well not so much discovered but started eating large amounts of chickpeas and black beans, both of which I adore. The chickpeas I will make up into humus or other yummy middle-eastern type food. The black beans are wonderful with some brown rice and chicken breast. I am just wondering if you guys have any recipes or cooking tips for working with these two great foods.

One of our new fave dishes is Tunisian style chickpeas and chard. Yummy and healthy! Google it for a bazillion recipes, I hesitate to suggest one because I forget which one I used. :)

How about beans and salsa? You could make Mexican rice (http://vegweb.com/recipes/rice/6432.shtml), warm up some black beans, and eat them together with a dollop each of salsa and sourcream or yogurt. :)

There's always falafel; you can toss chickpeas with your salad.

Beans! Beans! The magical fruit...

I'll add a can of blackbeans to chilli and sometimes even salsa. Not terribly exciting, I know.

Eat enough beans and you don't have to take turns pulling the paceline. :D

eat enough beans and you stink a lot less than the average meat and potatoes consumptive....

anyway, black beans and brown rice, mixed with whatever veges, meat, or other, wrapped in burrito shells and bound in parchment paper make excellent, frozen, microwave lunches.

garden style lentil soup takes one hour or so from scratch:

onion, garlic, celery, carrot, sweated in pot.

1 cup lentils, 6-8 cups water, 1 can chopped tomatoes.salt pepper, yada yada salt and pepper, bouquet garni, yada yada, herbs of your choice. bring to boil, simmer and cook 40-60 minutes.

in the last 20 minutes, add a colander of chopped, fresh vegetables of your choice. simmer up till tender, reseason with salt and pepper if necessary, and serve with fresh whole grain bread on the side. A chiffonade of spinach dresses up the soup nicely...

Tasty!

I love the red bean paste bun pantries from Korean bakeries.

This dish has probably already been invented by someone, but I improvised it last night using leftover rice and I thought it was really good!

Take 2 cups (roughly...it was leftovers afterall) of cooked basmati brown rice.
1 can of black beans
1 big can of diced tomatoes (drained)
1 pkg frozen kale, either defrosted, or steamed until no longer frozen and slightly cooked

Put a couple of tbsps of garlic olive oil in wok or big pan. Fry up a small chopped onion and 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves. After a few minutes toss in the kale and sautee with garlic salt (just enough to make it taste good and not too salty) and ground pepper. Throw in the can of tomatoes, the can of beans and the rice. Shake on some dried chilies. Sautee the whole thing until it is a mass of jolly red, green, white and black. The whole thing should look like confetti.

Eat, either plain or with smoked Tabasco chipotle sauce added.

The chickpeas I will make up into humus or other yummy middle-eastern type food.

Add your homemade humus to Ful Mudammas and add some Zchug - Yemenite Hot Salsa

Zchug
2-3 medium jalapeno chiles, destemmed (can deseed to cut spice)
1/4 cup garlic
1-2 tablespoon water
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 lb tomatoes, cut up

Ful Mudammas
In Egypt, these flavorful brown beans are served for breakfast as well as other meals. Simply put, this is the national dish of Egypt. If fava beans are not available, pinto beans can be substituted.

2 cups dried fava beans
5 to 6 cups water, to cover
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
salt
chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
lemon wedges
olive oil
freshly ground pepper

In a bowl, cover the fava beans generously with water and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain.

Place the beans in a saucepan and add the water, making sure the beans are covered. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 2-5 hours. Cooking time will depend on the age and size of the beans. When the beans are ready, add the garlic, cumin (if using) and salt to taste.

Ladle into bowls. Set out the parsley, lemon wedges, oil and pepper for diners to add as they like.

If you like Chickpeas make yourself a bowl of Pasta Cicci.Its simple yet delicious. Make a simple marinara sauce by sauteeing crushed, strained tomatoes in olive oil that you have browned a clove of garic in.. Boil some elbow macaroni.. Strain the chickpeas.. Combine both in the sauce and let sit over light heat for a minute.. Serve with fresh parsely,parmesean cheese and hot pepper seeds..

mash potato 'crust', pour in black beans, then add salsa grilled chicken/onions/peppers and top with jack cheese and bake.....leave the potatoes a bit soggy so they will steam as it bakes. kind of a layered casserole ...... This originated as a recipe while i was backpacking but i fix it still in the front country.