We hope you had a fantastic Easter! We were so happy to see the sun shining this morning – perfect for little one to have an Easter egg hunt, and also perfect for our weekly long run. The Fifth Third Riverbank Run is only 3 weeks away. We’re running the 25k, so we’ve got to step up our training. Our run around Reed’s Lake in EGR yesterday morning, and seeing everyone else out enjoying the morning, couldn’t have been more beautiful.
Yesterday afternoon we headed over to K’s parents’ house for lunch. K’s whole family was there, even his brother’s rambunctious dog! As always with the Woods family – lots of laughs, great conversation, and delicious food. K’s mom went all out and cooked us a fabulous meal – mashed potatoes, fresh rolls, pickled cucumbers, salad, asparagus… When you have asparagus, you know it’s spring!
We may have just finished eating and grazing all day, but when we got home we were already thinking about what’s for dinner tonight! On Monday nights we cook a vegan meal for K’s family and watch a cable show – right now it’s Game of Thrones season!
Everyone in the family loves Mexican food, so we’re going to make burritos with our homemade refried black beans. Refried beans are typically made with quite a lot of lard, making one of the healthiest beans bad for your heart. And canned refried beans, even the vegetarian kind, have a strange texture and tinny taste.
Making refried beans from scratch does take a bit of time, but it couldn’t be easier. Give them a try, and we promise you’ll never go back to canned!
- 16 oz dry black beans
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ large white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Place the dry beans in a bowl. In a saucepan, boil enough water to cover the beans by two inches. Once the water is boiling, pour over the beans and allow to sit for 3 hours.
- Once the beans have soaked, they should have expanded noticeably. Drain the soaking liquid. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the cumin and stir until it starts to sizzle. Once sizzling, add the onion and cook until translucent – about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the drained beans and 2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 2 hours. After two hours, add 2 tsp of salt and ½ cup cilantro. Let cook uncovered for another 30 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chili powder and cumin and stir until the spices sizzle. Once sizzling, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the cooked black beans and any remaining cooking liquid to the frying pan. Mash the beans – with a potato masher, immersion blender, or the bottom of a cup (works just as well!). Let the beans cook 5 minutes longer. If they are soupy, let them cook a little longer. If they are dry, add a little more water. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Serve as a bean dip with chips, or as a filling for tacos and burritos!
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