Not Refried Beans

I love Mexican food, but as a vegetarian it can be hard to find Mexican food that I can eat.  Even the simplest bean and cheese burrito usually includes lard or other meat products. The lard alone should turn off anyone who is serious about good health, vegetarian or not. So how about a recipe for refried beans that are not refried and make an excellent burrito, tostada, or main dish by themselves? Not only is this recipe delicious, but it is easy and you will never want to buy canned beans again. I have made this recipe for many people and everyone, even young children, love it. Oh, and it is way cheaper than buying canned beans. You will love these Not Refried Beans.

Not Refried Beans

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• 8 cups water

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients except for the water in a slow cooker.
2. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Pick out any beans that float to the top.
3. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours. Be sure to check the water level from time to time. If it gets too low add more water.
4. When the beans have cooked, strain them and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher and add the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Notes:

• • You control the heat in this recipe. Feel free to add more jalapenos, some pepper, or even some cayenne pepper.
  • I usually have leftovers. The beans will continue to absorb the liquid after they are put into the refrigerator. To avoid having extra thick beans the next day, I usually add about a half of an inch of the reserved water to the top of the beans before I pop them into the refrigerator. When I want to cook up the leftovers, I simply stir the liquid in and they are good as new.

These not refried beans taste even better with some homemade salsa and guacamole. Let me know if you try this recipe or have tried one like it.