Merry Graham came to blogging entirely by chance. “I started a food blog because I read about a cooking contest that required a cooking blog!” she says. “I love culinary challenges, so I set up a blog.”
Luckily for us, Merry has kept up her food blog, A Merry Recipe, ever since. She focuses on healthy, nutritious meals — Bobby Flay named her the healthiest cook in America in 2012 — that taste amazing. Of course, beans are among her favorite ingredients.
“I love cooking with the humble pinto bean because of the creamy texture and mild, earthy flavor,” she says. “Pinto beans are so versatile! Every time I make homemade refried beans or chili my family and friends rave.”
This devoted grandma says beans are great for little ones, too. “I love feeding beans to babies once they begin to pick up finger foods,” she says. “I always feel as though I am packing their little bodies with the best nutrition. And as a grandma, I can load them up with the power of beans and then let their parents take over just in case there are toots! ”
Merry shared three recipes with us that will feed a crowd — or a family. And the best part? These recipes are super economical. You’ll need only a single one-pound bag of dried garbanzo beans to pull off this feast. It includes a Spicy Garbanzo Bean Chili, Spanish Garbanzo Butternut Squash, and Queso Fresco Lettuce Wrap, and Air Fried Holiday Spiced Crunchy Garbanzo Beans.
Before you start cooking, rehydrate the garbanzo beans according to one of our soaking methods.
Find each recipe here:
Pressure Cooker Spicy Garbanzo Bean Chili
Spanish Garbanzo Butternut Squash, and Queso Fresco Lettuce Wrap
