At first I didn’t think this bean recipe was blog-worthy, but then I got thinking: this is how I eat every day. These beans  are so quick and super easy to prepare and taste delicious, too.  Beans are part of my daily meals in some form or other; they are so nourishing and filling and satisfying, that I wanted to share this with you. Most of the time I eat these beans  for lunch , maybe over a few slices of baked sweet potatoes.  I recommend using  this recipe as a template and choose the beans you like, perhaps kidney or pinto beans instead. Make a big batch, and you are all set for a few days, whether you eat these beans by themselves, over baked (sweet) potatoes or in a wrap. Enjoy!

 

I always try to keep a bag of frozen peppers and onions in my freezer. I call it “emergency food”. But truly, frozen vegetables are perfectly nutritious and easy to use, because they are harvested and frozen at peak time. You don’t even have to thaw them out. Just toss them into a pre-heated dry skillet, there will be enough moisture in the veggies for sautéing. The mix I get has very large chunks, so  I tend to break them up by hand a bit while still frozen. (If you prefer to use fresh vegetables, use 1/2  a pepper each of red, yellow and green and 1 small onion, cut into small strips)

For this recipe I don’t drain my beans, but use the liquid as well. For that reason, make sure you use a no-salt-added brand, and that the can also has  a BPA-free liner.

Makes 3-4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes     Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 14-oz package of fire roasted peppers & onions, frozen

1 cup fire roasted corn, frozen

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 15-oz cans of black beans, no-salt-added, BPA-free liner, with liquid

2 tsp. chili powder blend (see below)

2 tsp. smoked sweet paprika

2 tsp. cumin

4 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar

Directions

• Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat
• Add frozen pepper & onion mix  and frozen corn to the pan and sauté until softened, approx. 5 minutes
• Add garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes
• Add spices, stir to combine and cook for another minute
• Add beans with their liquid and balsamic vinegar. Let cook until liquid starts reducing, approx. 10 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently, so nothing burns.
• Reduce heat to medium-low or low, depending on your stove, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Beans should have a nice creamy consistency. Enjoy!

Notes

I make my own chili powder blend, which has a bit of a kick to it. The original recipe is from rouxbe.com :

• 2 tbsp paprika ( I use smoked paprika)
• 2 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Thoroughly mix and store in air tight container.