Mexican Beans

This is a quick chilli, and can easily be adapted for meat eaters. Just add 500g mince, and brown it, before adding the beans. Then add some extra flavourings.

Beans:

• 1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
• 2 Tablespoons whey (or lemon juice)
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tin tomatoes in juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon chilli seasoning
• cayenne to taste

Garnish. Choose all or some of:

• chopped capsicum
• avocado or guacamole
• grated tasty cheese
• sour or kefired cream

The night before:

• Put the dried pinto beans in a panful of warm water. Add the whey and soak overnight.
• Decide what you’re going to serve with the beans ahead of time. If making pancakes, set flour to soak now.

The next morning:

• Drain and rinse the pinto beans
• Put them into a crockpot, and cover with water. They will soak up the water as they cook, so make sure there is about an inch of water covering them. Turn it on to Low and leave simmering all day.
• If you don’t have a crockpot, keep soaking during the day. Then rinse and set cooking in fresh water about 2 to 2.5 hours before you need the beans. Check water periodically.

If you’re serving basic brown rice with the beans:

• Start the rice at least 2 hours before serving

When the beans are cooked:

If you’re serving pancakes, start them now, and as each one is cooked, pop it into the oven warming drawer

• Turn them off and stir in 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt, then drain
• Chop up onion & garlic & saute in olive oil
• Add cooked pinto beans and mix well.
• Whizz up the tin of tomatoes in a food processor (or chop well), and add.
• Add sea salt and chilli seasoning
• Let it simmer away for about 10 minutes. Partway through the cooking time, add enough cayenne to get it to the flavour you prefer

Serve with a side salad; and basic brown rice, corn chips or tacos, or wrapped in pancakes.