You know, I never really understand it when people say that they don’t like beans. I mean, once you get past the whole farting thing, beans are delicious.
If you cook dry beans, you get to add whatever flavors you want and they will seep into the beans, particularly in the slower cooker. Downside? Your entire house is going to smell amazing for hours upon hours. 🙂
Even if you use canned beans, simply drain & rinse them and season them during the cooking process and you’ve got the same flavors in less time but for more money. It’s a trade-off and you get to pick which one is right for you.
Back in my pre-vegan days I used to love adding refried beans to burritos, though I will admit that I was pretty ignorant about what was actually in them beyond beans. I had no idea until I was well into my adult years that lard was a big part of the equation. Back then that didn’t stop me completely, just limited how often I enjoyed them.
And even now, it’s been a few years since I’ve even attempted them. Not for any particular reason, at least not consciously. But recently I was in the mood for them so I did my homework and now I’m passing the lessons on to you.
First, it’s not refried beans…not actually. They’re actually re-heated and mashed but you know what I mean.
Second, you don’t need to go crazy with the fat, at least not in my opinion. Pinto beans or borlotti beans if you’re in a pinch, are really big and fat, which means they mash and puree really well. For this recipe I added about 10 grams of butter for a bit of fatty flavor and that was it.
Third, you don’t have to use only pinto beans for refried beans. Apparently it’s really common to use black beans or kidney beans, and I’ll bet butter beans work really well in this recipe because they’re already so fatty and creamy.
Okay, I’ve blathered on enough, let’s get to the vegan refried bean bowl!
Kitchen Tools:
*Kitchen knife
*Food processor
*Cutting board
*Skillet
*Stirring spoon
Ingredients:
Instructions:
*Start with the refried beans, adding them to the food processor or blender along with the roasted chili pepper. Add water or broth as needed just a few tablespoons at a time. Warm them on the stove just before serving.
*Cook the onions and bell peppers in a skillet over medium high heat until done, about 5 to 10 minutes.
*Stir in chopped vegan chicken and season.
*Plate the refried beans first and top with onions, peppers and vegan chicken. Add (optional) vegan sour cream, vegan yogurt or avocado.
ENJOY!
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The Spicy Spatula 
Whatcha think?