Pinto Beans

These are delicious, vegetarian refried beans. Usually they are available in restaurants filled with fat- don’t get me wrong.. they are delicious but not the healthiest. You can also get them pre-made in a can. Honestly, I have never tasted the ones in the can, so I can’t comment- but you can’t beat the homemade variety.

I don’t make it exactly from scratch as I use the cooked pinto beans out of a can. This allows me to cook the dish in no time at all without compromising on flavor. This particular one I spiced with roasted cumin seeds and smoked paprika. I also added garlic and cherry tomatoes.

It is a delicious, healthy side dish you can make in a matter of minutes. It was a great complement to the steak tacos. Try it with tacos or any thing grilled for the summer…

• 1 can of (15 ounces) pinto beans
• ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth

Place the beans in a saucepan and add the broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash the beans in the pan with a potato masher. Leave it a bit chunky if you like. Keep aside.

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan. Add the cumin seeds, tomatoes, onion and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes- till onions are soft. Add the mashed beans. Mix well and sprinkle salt and paprika. Mix well and top with cilantro and serve.