Bean cuisine: forget takeout and try beans, the new fast food. Our easy and affordable meals take only about 15 minutes to prepare--and are versatile enough to please every palate.(Recipe)

Oh, sure, we know fast food isn't good for us, that it's filled with trans fat and other unhealthy ingredients--and yet making healthful meals at home is getting more and more challenging. The daily grind of chopping and sauteing can send even ardent cooks out for takeout. What's the solution for creating healthier meals without spending all night in the kitchen? Beans!

Take advantage of ready-to-use beans. "Beans are the food with muscle," says D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, owner of One Source Nutrition, a consulting firm in Norwalk, CT. "Beans may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Aim for three cups per week. Add them to salsas, puree into dips, combine with canned soups or sprinkle onto salads."

Another plus to cooking with beans: Ready-to-use beans, such as chickpeas and white beans, are just as nutritious as if you cook them yourself. "The only downside to canned beans is the added sodium, but if you rinse them in a strainer you can remove up to 40 percent of the extra sodium," says Stokes. And that's a great way to combine convenience with the best for your body.

Just what qualifies as a bean? Technically, beans are a type of legume; lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans are other types. Some of the most common beans (available in both dried and canned forms) include black, chickpea, pinto, white, kidney, lima, mung, navy and black-eyed peas.

A Nutritious Staple the World Over

A study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that beans have been associated with long-lived food cultures for years, including Japanese (soy, tofu, natto, miso), the Swedes (brown beans, peas) and the Mediterranean people (lentils, chickpeas, white beans). Nutritionally, beans are an instant supply of protein, fiber, antioxidants and iron (especially great for vegetarians). Another study in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirmed that eating high-fiber foods like beans helps prevent heart disease.

"Beans are the ultimate fiber-packed foods that also provide protein. Because the fiber content is so potent, add beans to your diet gradually to ease your gastrointestinal system into the transition," says nutritionist Laura W. Lagano, MS, RD, of Hoboken, NJ.