Legumes are best prepared by simmering rather than boiling. One cup (1\/2 pound) of dried beans usually yields 2 to 2 1\/2 cups of cooked beans; 1\/2 cup of cooked dried beans or peas may be counted as a 1-ounce serving of meat or as one vegetable serving. Cooked legumes<\/a> can be eaten plain or mixed and matched with other foods, as in red beans and rice, bean burritos, and tostadas.<\/p>\n There are three methods for preparing dried beans: overnight soak, short soak, and no soak. In the overnight soak method, beans are sorted and thoroughly rinsed and then immersed in water; those that rise to the top or are shriveled are discarded. The remaining beans are soaked in water amounting to three or four times their quantity; i.e., 2 cups of dried beans require 6 to 8 cups of cold water. After soaking for approximately 10 hours, they are either drained and fresh water is added, or they are immediately simmered directly in their soaking liquid until tender. A lid is used but should be shifted slightly to the side to avoid a boil over. During simmering, water is added as needed to compensate for evaporation loss. Soaked beans require a long, slow cooking time to break down their hard-to-digest starches.<\/p>\n