Bean Stews

The basic procedure is:

• Fry onions until golden and soft (I usually use olive oil for these stews, but be careful if you're using, eg, Asian flavourings, for which a milder-flavoured oil like sunflower or peanut (groundnut) would probably be better).
• Add cooked, drained beans (I use canned), chopped garlic and suitable liquid.
• Simmer for a bit, add chopped veg, simmer until done.
• Serve with something grain-based.

Here are some examples; it's fun to make up your own, though:

Peanut Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) Stew

• Onion base: Fry onions with some ground coriander and cumin.
• Beans: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
• Vegetables: finely-sliced cabbage, thinly-sliced carrots, chopped red peppers, sliced green beans, chunked chestnut mushrooms.
• Liquid: canned chopped tomatoes (not too many), vegetable stock (use stock powder or cube), few spoonfuls of unsweetened peanut butter
• Serve with: Rice or couscous. Serve leftovers cold in pitta bread.

I also have a recipe using these guidelines.

Mediterranean Beans and Lentils

• Beans: Flageolet beans and Puy lentils (cook the lentils in the liquid until almost done before adding the flageolets at the same time as the vegetables)
• Vegetables: Thickly-chopped courgettes (zucchini), red pepper and mushrooms.
• Liquid: Canned chopped tomatoes, water, sundried tomato paste, Italian vegetable puree, red wine.
• Serve with: Rice, couscous, jacket potato, ciabatta or pasta.

I also have a recipe using these guidelines.

Mushroom and Blackeye Bean Stew

• Beans: Blackeye beans (blackeye peas).
• Vegetables: Chestnut mushrooms or other strongly-flavoured mushrooms, chopped red peppers.
• Liquid: Mushroom stock (you can buy mushroom stock cubes, or use a dark veggie stock), soy sauce.
• Serve with: Couscous or rice.

Mixed Bean Soup

• Onion base: Use plenty of good olive oil.
• Beans: Mixed beans (Sainsbury's sell cans of mixed pulses that work very well).
• Vegetables: Sliced leek, chopped red peppers.
• Liquid: Canned chopped tomatoes, water or stock, plenty of sundried tomato paste, lots of garlic paste.
• Serve with: Dense wholemeal bread or ciabatta.