DIY Food: Super Speedy Re-fried Beans

Lots of times we make our re-fried beans in the slow cooker and the kids love ’em. However, sometimes mom is NOT on the ball…..and so sometimes we have to resort to other creative measures.

This is a quick and easy way to have the convenience of already prepared re-fried beans, but the healthy benefit of knowing exactly what’s in them. And it’s easy…..and it’s fast!

Here’s what you do…..(sorry no pics, but I’m having trouble with my camera. I promised this post to you last week and haven’t been able to get my pics off my memory card, so here ya go and if you need more info, let me know.)

Grind up a bunch of pinto beans in your grain mill, on the course setting. This still creates a pretty fine flour out of the beans. *One cup of whole beans will yield approximately 1 1/8 c. bean flour.

Then I saute some onion and green chilis in bacon grease….yep, save it and freeze it….and only use a little, but oh so worth the flavor!

Add the Pinto Bean Flour and the warm water, some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and bouillon (I like a little chicken and a little beef….gives a multidimensional flavor). You can also add some salsa if you like. These don’t have the same color that mashed cooked pinto beans have. You can fake the brownish/rusty color with spices and salsa.

Cook for a few minutes, and voila!!….re-fried beans in a jiffy.

(these are not super speedy re-fried beans in this here photo….these are my slow cooker re-fried beans…you know the ones that have actual chunks of bean in them. I just needed a pic of re-fried beans and this is one I took to demonstrate 1/4 cup portions of beans to freeze for kids to reheat later and use.)

Super Speedy Re-fried Beans

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup pinto bean flour
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup green chilis
• 1 Tbsp bacon grease (or olive oil, or whatever  you want, or nothing)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp beef bouillon
• 1/3 cup salsa (optional)

Instructions:

1. In skillet, melt bacon grease and saute onions and green chilis til soft and fragrant.
2. Add water and whisk in pinto bean flour. You may  need to adjust by adding more water or more flour to get your desired consistency.
3. Let simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Keep it very low….popping re-fried beans are not very friendly.
4. Add spices and bouillons. Adjust according to taste.
5. Add salsa if desired.
6. Serve immediately.

*Note: In my experience, you only want to make as much as you can eat that day….the texture of these reheated is not my favorite.

Now YOU try it!