Cooking Red Kidney Beans

When I made the chicken burritos, they were delicious, but I had a killer headache the next day.  In my household, the first thing we think of when we wake up with a headache is "what did I eat last night?".  Other than the kidney beans, all of the ingredients in the burritos were normal, every-day things like corn, tomatoes, and chicken.  So, I decided to try avoiding tinned kidney beans next time I needed them, and to instead use dried.

Dried kidney beans take much more effort than their tinned brothers.  They must be soaked, either for a few hours or overnight (but no more than 12 hours, I believe), and then rinsed, and cooked on the stove for 1-1½ hours (first bring to the boil, boil for 15 minutes, then simmer) until the beans are soft and will squish between your fingers (mind you don't burn yourself!).  They also stick, so it's not like a lot of things that take a long time on a low heat that you can go back to check every 15 mins; no you need to stir them at least every 5 mins.

So what's my verdict?  Well, I didn't have a headache after eating the muffins (but comparing muffins to burritos is not all that useful), and we have some dried beans left, which I'll cook up, eventually.  But I'm going to try the tinned variety again, rinsing them very very well.  If I get a headache again, I'll settle on dried.  They keep well in the fridge, and I wonder if you can freeze them.  If so, I'll cook up a large batch to freeze.

 I felt like I was stirring a couldron for a spell...