Call them whatever you like. They are healthy, tasty, and easier to prepare than you think. 
I love bringing them home and spilling them all over the counter into glass containers, pretending I am Cinderella. She gets a prince finally, right?
Beans are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are indicated for longevity, weight control, and diabetes. The fatter and larger the bean, the more the sugar content. I like using beans to inexpensively fill out a meal with more nutrients and fiber.
I keep an assortment on hand and rotate colors and types about every four days. Then I freeze the leftovers for quick reheats.
To prepare, first pour your Little Beauties into a strainer with holes SMALL enough to catch them. Sift through, picking out little stones and any discolored beans. Rinse and pour into a bowl, pot, or crockpot. Pour enough water to cover beans by 2-3 inches. Adding a little baking soda will alkalinize the water and help with digestibility. Let sit overnight or even a couple hours for small beans and lentils. For a faster soak, bring beans to a boil before soaking.
Rinse beans well after soaking. Pour into pot and add enough water to cover by 1-2 inches. See your local cookbook for cooking times. Generally, lentils take about an hour, mung beans maybe 90 minutes, larger beans 2-3 hours. I like using a crockpot on high so I can leave. Sometimes they overcook, AND Girl’s gotta go to work.
Now for the tricks. The seaweed Kombu will help with digestibilty. I use kitchen scissors to cut it into little pieces. One strip is enough. Adding a bay leaf gives some flavor. Add any spices toward the end of cooking for best flavor. Certain spices may help with digestion such as cumin, coriander, anise, and caraway. Do NOT add salt until the beans are soft. You can add a splash of apple cider vinegar toward the end. After cooking, I like adding cilantro and a little olive oil for accent. Adding enough salt is essential for flavor.
Once you get the steps down, cooking beans is EASY and satisfying. There are some beautiful varieties available in bulk bins well worth trying. You can add them to soups, stews, scrambles, or bowl meals. They are great for potlucks and cold salads. You can fancy them up with sausages, spices, chicken broth, and sauteed greens. For more inspiration, see Indian cookbooks and recipe websites for delicious variations.
My standard meal is brown rice, the daily bean, 2-3 veggies, and some meat protein if I need the energy. I am blessed to eat well enough like royalty on my own. So can you.