Rodney

Lentils. They cook up a _lot_ quicker than beans (40 minutes, no pre-soaking required), they're high in protein, they flavor up well with a can of tomatoes and a little meat (a hambone, or a little chopped hot sausage, or jalapenos, cayenne, and definitely garlic), and you can make up a ton at one time and freeze what you don't want.

You can eat 'em at any meal, including breaksfast, where they go well with eggs.

Lentils are _not_ low calorie, but they are low fat, and are digested slowly, like other legumes, so you don't get a sudden surge of excess carbs that the body decides to turn to fat. Because they're digested over a long period, they also help maintain an even blood sugar level, which is going to reduce your need to snack.