Time has blurred the reasons his mother sent Jack into unknown territory to sell the family cow. Perhaps she had decided to cut down on meat for financial reasons; perhaps she also saw health benefits. Maybe it had something to do with not eating meat on a certain day of the week. Or maybe she just got tired of cleaning up after the darned cow.In any event, we do know that Mom was less than enchanted when Jack came home with only a selection of dried beans. The kid had always had his head in the clouds, but come on!But being an enterprising cook, Mom figured she could find a way to get those beans to pay giant dividends. And because she had a full-time job with long hours, she knew she had to work some real magic to save time.The first night, Jack came home to a dinner of Madras Chickpeas with Spinach, which Mom had cleverly made in about 20 minutes using a pressure cooker. The next morning, she woke up and put Korean Black Beans into the slow cooker and served them with rice and a salad when she and Jack came home that night. And the following day, she showed Jack how to make Pasta and Lentils, another miraculous time-saving recipe for the pressure cooker.Mom and Jack were so happy with the results that they went out the next day to find the guy who had swapped the beans for their cow. He had gone back to Wisconsin, so they went to their local supermarket to get more beans. And there they found something even more magical: They could buy dried beans for less than 25 cents a serving.It was almost as good as a hen that laid golden eggs!Jack spent some of the extra money to date that Jill girl from the gymnastics team. Mom used her extra funds as seed capital, so to speak, to expand the line of outdoorsman clothing she had been making at home. In honor of Jack’s serendipitous encounter, she called it L.L. Bean.And they all lived happily ever after.

MADRAS CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH—Yield: 6 servings

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover1 cup vegetable broth1 (13.5- to 14.5-ounce) can coconut milk2 tablespoons mild curry powder or to taste2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach1 large or 2 medium onions (about 1 pound total), cut into wedges1 (14.5- to 15.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilesGround red (cayenne) pepper or crushed red pepper flakesSalt1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure:1. Drain chickpeas. In 6-quart or larger pressure cooker, stir together broth, coconut milk and curry powder. Set over high heat. Add chickpeas, spinach and onions. Pour tomatoes on top; do not stir.2. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure, then reduce heat enough to maintain the pressure and cook for 16 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to come down naturally.3. When pressure is released, remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow any steam to escape. If chickpeas are not quite tender, replace lid without locking and simmer until chickpeas are done.4. Stir well. Add a pinch of cayenne or pepper flakes or to taste, and more curry powder if necessary, and salt to taste. The mixture will thicken as it stands, but if you wish to thicken it immediately, mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the cooker with a fork and stir them in.5. Stir in cilantro. Serve in large, shallow bowls or lipped plates.Variation: Add 1/3 cup raisins after releasing the pressure.

Nutrition data per serving: 380 calories; 17g fat; 13g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 16g protein; 46g carbohydrate; 12g sugar; 14g fiber; 420mg sodium; 250mg calcium.

Source: Adapted from “Pressure Perfect,” by Lorna Sass

KOREAN-STYLE BLACK BEANS—Yield: 6 servings

2 cups dried black beans6 cups water1/2 cup soy sauce1 tablespoon sugar or honey2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Procedure:1. Wash beans thoroughly. Place beans and water in slow cooker.2. In small bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Pour over beans, stirring in thoroughly.3. Cover and cook on low 6-10 hours, or until beans are tender. Serve with cooked rice and cooked greens for a full meal.Tester’s note: After 6 hours in my slow cooker, the beans still had significant crunch. After 8 hours, they had softened but still had some crunch. They had fully softened after cooking for 10 hours. You can shorten the cooking time by soaking the beans in cold water 1-2 hours before placing them in the slow cooker.

Nutrition data per serving: 260 calories; 6g fat; 1g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 14g protein; 40g carbohydrate; 3g sugar; 14g fiber; 1,370mg sodium; 40mg calcium.Source: Adapted from “The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker,” by Lynn Alley

PASTA AND LENTILS—Yield: 4 servings

2 cups dried lentils2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion, finely chopped2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces2 canned plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed1 bay leaf6 cups water1 cup small tubular pasta, uncookedSaltFreshly ground black pepperExtra-virgin olive oil for drizzling, optionalFreshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, optional

Procedure:1. Place lentils in large colander. Rinse well under cold water and set aside.2. Heat olive oil in pressure cooker over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 4-5 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently so that the onion does not brown. Add carrots, celery and tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf and water. Stir to blend.3. Position cooker lid and lock in place. Raise heat to high and bring to high pressure. Adjust heat to stabilize the pressure and cook 10 minutes.4. Remove from heat. Lower pressure by placing cooker in sink and running cold water over lid. Open cooker and test lentils to see if they are tender. If not, lock lid back in place, return to high pressure and cook another 1-2 minutes.5. While lentil mixture is cooking, cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.6. When lentils are tender, mash softened garlic cloves by pressing them against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust for salt (up to 3 teaspoons) and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon). Stir in cooked pasta.7. Spoon into four plates or bowls. If desired, drizzle each plate with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and serve with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Nutrition data per serving (using 3 teaspoons salt): 520 calories; 9g fat; 1.5g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 30g protein; 84g carbohydrate; 10g sugar; 25g fiber; 1,840mg sodium; 100mg calcium.Source: Adapted from “The Ultimate Pressure Cooker Cookbook,” by Tom Lacalamita

BARLEY, MUSHROOM AND ONION SOUP—Yield: 4 servings

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms1 cup pearl barley, rinsed thoroughly2 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, thinly sliced2 tablespoons tomato sauce1/2 cup diced carrot1 cup diced celery2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsleySaltFreshly ground black pepper1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:1. Rinse dried mushrooms; place in small bowl. Cover with about 1 cup water. Let soak 30 minutes.2. Place barley and 8 cups water in slow cooker.3. Heat oil in sauté pan. Sauté onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes.4. Lift softened mushrooms from bowl, leaving any grit behind. Squeeze excess liquid from mushrooms. Pour soaking water through a strainer lined with a damp paper towel or a coffee filter and set aside; discard towel/filter. Coarsely chop mushrooms.5. Add mushrooms and strained soaking water, sautéed onion, tomato sauce, carrot and celery to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until barley is completely tender.6. Add parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with 1-2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Nutrition data per serving: 300 calories; 10g fat; 2.5g saturated fat; 6mg cholesterol; 9g protein; 46g carbohydrate; 3g sugar; 10g fiber; 180mg sodium; 100mg calcium.Source: Adapted from “The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker,” by Lynn Alley

Madras chickpeas with spinach provide a nice meatless and healthy meal for the Lenten season. Photo by MCCLATCHY