D.T.
I did not read everything so don't know the other suggestions. I used to feed my kids beans from a can. Kidney Beans, Chick Peas red beans, they are really not a lot harder than pasta noodles and so much healthier and they come right out of a can can be rinsed and served w/o even heating them. You can also soak the dried beans and less sodium. But so healthy w/ fiber and iron etc.