Cooking Pinto Beans for a Frugal, Healthy Side Dish or Meal

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	Cooking Pinto Beans Cooking pinto beans are a great way to reduce both the cost and fat in your budget while adding some truly healthy eating to your life. They are a simple, low-fat protein that are versatile; use them in casseroles, soups or as a side dish to enchiladas. Cooking Pinto Beans are Healthier Beans are loaded with insoluble fiber that helps keep your colon clean. Having beans on a regular basis reduces constipation. That's because those insoluble fibers keep the soluble fibers moving on a regular basis throughout the entire colon and help reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer. Plus, cooking pinto beans and adding them to your diet significantly increases the amount of antioxidants in your system. These antioxidants can clear out dangerous free radicals to also reduce your chances of cancer. What About Gas? "...Beans, beans, the musical fruit... ...the more you eat, the more you toot..." Or so the saying goes, and if you're not used to a high fiber diet, you may have more gas initially. But keep cooking pinto beans and other types of beans and eat them regularly, and your body will become accustomed to the extra fiber, and those gas attacks will ease. Cooking Pinto Beans - the Nitty Gritty Before cooking pinto beans, as well as almost every bean except the lentil, you will first need to soak your beans. Measure out two cups of dry beans and rinse them well in a colander, making sure to remove all stones and dirt. Then place the beans in a pot and cover them with at least two inches of water. Allow your beans to soak overnight. You'll be ready for cooking pinto beans the next day. The Next Step Then rinse your beans and cover with clean water. Bring them to a boil and allow them to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. The beans will be ready when they are tender. You can also test them by scooping out a bean or two and blowing on them. If the skin peels away, then the bean is cooked. What if You Forget to Soak Them? This happens to me a lot. You can also rinse your beans, put them in a pot, cover them with two inches of water and bring the water to a full, rolling boil. Then remove the pot from the heat and allow the beans to set in the water for a full hour. Add a pinch of baking soda before you begin cooking the beans. The baking soda is crucial, or else the beans won't cook. My Favorite Way to Use Pinto Beans I love using pinto beans in refried beans, a great compliment to enchiladas. The traditional method calls for frying beans in a cast iron skillet with lard, tomatoes and onions, but I prefer this easier, lower-fat version. Easy Refried Beans 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup or more of water 1/4 teaspoon of garlic 1/2 teaspoon of cumin 1 teaspoon of chili powder 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste 2 cups of cooked pinto beans 1 12-ounce can of diced tomatoes Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about three minutes. Then add the flour and mix well. Gradually add the water until you have a thickened gravy. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. In a food processor, add the beans and tomatoes. Then add the gravy mixture. Blend together. Reheat the beans in the skillet, if desired. This recipe makes enough refried beans for my family of five. Learn More About Frugal Cooking You can beat frugal cooking both for the excellent nutrition and savings. Learn why cooking from scratch is so important by clicking here. Want to see all of our frugal recipes? Click here. Return from Cooking Pinto Beans to the Home Page	Dehydrators For Sale *Long-lasting, healthy food!* By dehydrating your own meats, fruits and vegetables you can store food with far more nutrients with less energy costs. Click Here learn more. Search This Site: Vacuum Sealers For Sale *Keeps Food Far Longer!* Vacuum Seal your dehydrated foods, grains, dry goods and matches, and you can protect these valuable items from moisture and oxygen. Grain can last for years! Click Here learn more. Subscribe to my free ezine! Successful Homesteading is a bi-weekly e-zine covering everything about self-reliance and the healthy, frugal life. Imagine! Great tips on organic gardening, self reliance, frugal living and frugal recipes on a regular basis and sent straight to your ebox! Click here to subscribe.
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