Slow Cooker Beans, Algerian style (Mimi's recipe)

So... I have never much cared for beans... outside of green beans. To me the beans have been too chalky, or too sweet, or too something. so I shy away. But my husband likes them. And he likes them like his mom makes them. So i learned. and for the longest time I made them for him, or let him make them for himself since it is one of the three things he knows how to cook, and i would have a few bites and then something else. But then I got a slow cooker. And since I realized that some of the things I normally don't like are transformed into magnifique when cooked low and slow. So I gave his beans a whirl today in the good ol' crock pot. I know, beans are beans... this is nothing new... but i want to eat ten bowls of these... it is like food heaven. Another thing about this dish... if i add up the cost... since i buy my lamb in roasts, cut it in portions, freeze, and keep the end pieces for soups... it ends up being pretty reasonably priced for feeding 4 people or so. i would say this dish cost me less than $5.00 total, and who doesn't need a recipe to feed the family for less than 5 bucks... ? Here it is

1 package beans of choice, soaked overnight (i used great northern because i like them) 1 piece lamb or beef 3-4 oz (optional) 2 soup spoons tomato paste 1/2 onion 1 parsnip, quartered and peeled 2 carrots , quartered 3 cloves garlic 1 soup spoon of cumin 1/2 tsp coriander 2 beef boullion cubes pepper to taste italian seasoning, a couple tsps i suppose. (i just throw some in) salt if needed throw everything but the beans in the bottom of the slow cooker. cover with beans. cover with water. if you ever over salt your soup. chop up a potato and throw it in. cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8-9 hours (I did high so not sure about low)