Scrooge was a classic "bean counter" _ a derogatory term for someone who is tight-fisted and ungenerous with their money.
But when it comes to good nutrition, there's nothing bah-humbug about counting beans.
A Google search of dry bean soup mixes starts at five (usually red bean, navy bean, black bean, black-eyed peas and split peas) and ratchets all the way up to 32 varieties. For The Kansas City Star's 15-Bean Tex Mex Soup, we used a supermarket soup mix variety that comes with a seasoning packet.
While many cooks these days prefer canned beans, dry beans are less expensive and couldn't be easier to prepare, although you do have to plan ahead and soak them the night before. The next morning, put beans and remaining ingredients in a soup pot or slow cooker and several hours later you've got a healthy one-pot meal.
In case you're wondering, Hurst's Ham-Beens Brand soups usually include 15 of the following beans: Northern, pinto, large lima, baby lima, blackeyed pea, garbanzo, green split pea, kidney, cranberry, small white, pink, small red, yellow split pea, lentil, navy, white kidney, black and yellow eye beans.
Dried beans are rich in protein, calcium, phosphorous and iron.
If you're looking for a gift this holiday season, pour bean soup mix into a Mason jar, tie with a bow and share our recipe for a thrifty meal.
Shopping tip: Hurst Beans sells a 15-count bean soup while Bob's Red Mill makes a 13-bean soup mix.
Cooking tip: When you are cooking in a slow cooker or cooking slowly for several hours conventionally, use dry minced garlic as it will produce a nice garlic flavor.
