THREE-BEAN RECIPES: Spicy Beans with Turkey Sausage . . . Five-Bean Vegetarian Chili . . . Three-Bean Baked Beans

Spicy Beans with Turkey Sausage

1 pound smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices

1 16-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 16-ounce can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1½ cups frozen corn

1½ cups salsa

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

½ to 1 cup water (enough to fill slow cooker at least halfway

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

In 5-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Stir before serving.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (1Zc cups): 350 calories, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 47 milligrams cholesterol, 1,412 milligrams sodium, 51 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 26 grams protein.

Five-Bean Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 each, chopped: sweet onion, green bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 each, finely chopped: drained chipotle peppers, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 can (about 16 ounces) each, drained: black beans, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, cannellini or butter beans

1 14-ounce can vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon each: salt, dried thyme leaves, red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add celery, onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir in chipotle and sun-dried tomatoes. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; lower heat to a simmer. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 324 calories, 6 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 59 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, 1,510 milligrams sodium, 18 grams fiber.

Three-Bean Baked Beans

5 bacon slices

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1½ teaspoons dried thyme

¾ cup ketchup

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup dark molasses

1/3 cup (or more) water

1 bay leaf

1 15- to 16-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained

1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat until crisp. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon and reserve.

Add onion to drippings in pot and saute until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Add dry mustard and thyme and stir 1 minute. Mix in ketchup, vinegar, molasses, Zc cup water, bay leaf and all beans. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover pot and bake bean mixture 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if mixture seems dry. Mix bacon into beans. Bake 15 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf. Mix in hot pepper sauce and serve.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.