Healthy Crockpot Refried Beans

In my opinion, beans are one of the most under-appreciated health foods out there.  For one, they're so easy on your grocery budget (one 2 lb bag is under three dollars!). Two, they have LOADS of iron in them. Three, they are obviously high in fiber (lowering your cholesterol and risk of heart disease). Four, they're high in protein (that protein is more readily absorbed if you eat it with brown rice). Five, they're high in antioxidants!

You can read more about beans as a health food here.

My problem is I don't have many bean recipes. My tastebuds are too needy to just feed them plain old beans... so lately I've been searching the internet for recipes to kick my beans into gear.

One of them is this recipe for HEALTHY refried beans. Yes I had to emphasize the HEALTHY part because did you know a lot of those canned beans have straight up LARD in them. Uh... hello. Nasty. Not to mention you should ALWAYS buy your beans dry when you can stand it... it's so much cheaper and you know exactly what ingredients you're going to be putting in them.

Ingredients
2 lb bag of dry pinto beans (usually in the mexican food section)
1 medium yellow onion
2 tsp miced garlic
2 tablespoons Cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
sprinkle on cayenne pepper
12 cups of water
4 tsp salt

1. Dice onion.

2. Add all ingredients (except for salt, you'll add that at the end) into the crockpot. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or until beans are very tender.

3. Once beans are tender, ladle out as much extra liquid from the pot as you can. I was able to get out 1 and a half bowls full of liquid. Save the liquid as a reserve in case you need to add more after you're done.

4. With a potato masher, mash up the beans to desired consistency. I like mine pretty blended so I even got out the mixer and ran it through the beans a few times. (If you feel like your beans are still too watery at this point, remove lid of crockpot and continue to cook on high. It will help some of the liquid evaporate out of the beans).

5. Add salt!

This makes PLENTY of beans. I fed me, Jake and three very hungry boys bean and cheese burritos last night and I still have lots of left overs. I put them in a Tupperware in the  fridge and I'm going to make some bean and cheese burritos and freeze them... Just like my breakfast burritos here. That way when I'm on the run I can grab one and have a healthy lunch/dinner option to go!


XOXO Britney