The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable, and the straw is used for fodder. Botanically, the common bean is classified as a dicotyledon. Beans, squash and maize comprised the "Three Sisters" that provided the foundation of Native American agriculture. As a legume, beans provided the nitrogen-fixing bacteria which supplied that essential nutrient to the other two crops.

Last month it was scientists promoting an extra shiny version of soya beans, the leaves of which would reflect the sun’s light and help cool the earth. Before that, it was painting roads and roofs white, or dumping iron in the oceans, or even gigantic space mirrors. Check out the latest novel idea!

Making easy dinner recipes does not have to tasteless to be healthy. This recipe used white beans in place of an Alfredo sauce.

Try to go with post-consumer recycled paper, and stay away from bright whites, which use a lot of chemical bleach. You can also get tree-free paper that is made from recycled coffee beans, banana stalks, bamboo, kenaf, recycled denim, organic cotton, or hemp fibre. How about organic cotton invitations that contain wildflower seeds which will grow i

THIS RECIPE breaks away from the traditional way of serving canned tuna, which is to mix with mayonnaise to make tuna spread. Beans, olives and capers add flavors to the tuna and make it a light and refreshing sandwich filling.

White Bean Chicken Chili