Cooking Beans and Legumes: Soaking, Crock-Pot & Tips

Cooking pinto beans and lentils in a Crock-Pot makes for a nutritious, low-fat meal. From tenderizing dry beans with baking soda to managing soaking times, explore healthy ways to incorporate legumes into your weight-loss journey.

Purple and yellow beans lying on a wooden table

How to Cook Fresh Purple Beans

Published Jul,08 2011 | By Joanne Thomas

Fresh purple beans, with their gorgeous hues ranging from violet to aubergine, contrasting dramatically with a green interior when cut, have enticed many a farmer's market shopper. These pretty beans have also disappointed anyone who thought that their color would remain when cooked.

A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.