Lunch Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Jen's Vegan Eats

Seasoned Refried Beans :: For whatever reason, maybe I thought refried beans take a lot of time or I was never interested in learning what "refrying" beans meant but I have recently been having fun making them from scratch! Are my refried beans made in a traditional manner? I have no clue! I went with my instincts. What makes my refried beans different? I have created this recipe while following Dr. McDougall's Starch Solution with a focus on his Maximum Weight Loss plan. What this means is my beans are vegan, oil-free, quick, easy and full of flavor! Let's go through the ingredients. Canned Beans. I have made this recipe with pinto beans, black beans or with the trio bean mix. All three are delicious! Of course, you can use fresh beans. The recipe will not be considered quick then. Onion. I prefer to use a white onion but use what you have on hand--white, sweet or red. Garlic. Nutritional Yeast. You may also hear it called “Nooch,” for short. Nutritional Yeast is very common in vegan food to provide a cheesy, nutty & savory flavor. It comes in fortified & unfortified versions. Fortified versions are what you will find at most groceries & in bulk bins. Nooch is a complete & good source of protein(9 essential amino acids), is high in B Vitamins especially B12 and contains trace minerals like zinc, selenium and manganese. The most common Nutritional Yeast brands I see are: Bragg Red Star Bob's Red Mill Spices. Chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano Vegetable Broth. You can use regular veg broth, low sodium, use your homemade or mix your own with vegetable bouillon. My favorite brand is Better Than Bouillon. White Miso. Miso is a fermented paste most common in Japanese food. It is made from soy, chickpeas, rice or any combination of these. The colors can range from white to brown with white being the mildest/sweetest in flavor. In vegan food, nutritional yeast plus white miso somehow makes a sort of cheddary cheesy flavor together. If you do not have any though, no worries, it is optional. Lime Juice. I love the bit of zip a citrus can give at the end of the cooking process. Here, I went with lime juice because it is the more common citrus in Mexican cooking. Salt & Pepper. Cilantro. (optional) I do not like a lot of cilantro so I only use it if I happen to have it on hand. You can add it as the last step or on top at serving. How to create your Seasoned Refried Beans... 1. Over medium heat, start with water sautéing the onions in a non-stick skillet. Use very small amounts of water to keep the onions from sticking but never too much to saturate them to where they are steaming. 2. Once your onions are soft (approximately 10 minute cooking time), add your garlic and seasonings (minus salt, pepper and miso). Add a little splash of water--enough to be able to mix the seasonings into the onions and garlic. Stir for 1-2 minutes. 3. Add your rinsed & drained beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer. Reduce temperature and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes; stir often. 4. Remove from burner. Stir in the miso. 5. Take a potato masher and mash the bean mixture until it's a smooth consistency you like. 6. Stir in lime juice, salt & pepper. Adjust seasonings for your tastes.