Sunny Seeds Nutrition

Easy dinner nights are always on a parent’s mind. I find that, not only has the Instant Pot© (IP) allowed me to cook many delicious, flavor-filled dishes quickly, but it also facilitates cooking and freezing, which is great for a night when cooking just can’t be on the agenda. This next recipe is a great example of something that tastes delightful immediately after preparation, but is also equally as delicious if you freeze, and then defrost it, at some point in the future. As far as creating a complete meal, I’ll discuss that after giving you the recipe because I’m sure you can’t wait any longer! So – here it goes. . .
*Instant Pot Vegetarian ‘Refried’ Beans
Yield= ~13 cups

(Pinto beans)

(Black beans)

Ingredients
2 pounds dried pinto beans OR dried black beans
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
32 fluid ounces vegetable broth
32 fluid ounces water
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add the dried beans and and enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Allow them to soak while you are assembling the other ingredients.
2. Add the following to the IP pot: chopped onion, chopped garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground black pepper, olive oil, vegetable broth, and water. DO NOT ADD THE SALT AT THIS POINT.
3. Strain and rinse the beans in a colander.
4. Add the beans to the IP pot, and stir all of the ingredients together.
5. Place the lid on the IP and make sure the steam release valve is set to the sealing position. Press the ‘Bean/Chili’ key and increase the time to 45 minutes. Once the IP beeps, let the pressure naturally release.
6. Once the pressure is released, open the lid of the IP and add salt to taste. Use an immersion blender to blend the beans to the desired consistency. As the beans cool, they will thicken.

To incorporate this into a complete meal, as you can see from the picture below, our family turns these beans into ‘vegetarian nachos.’ We simply serve these beans, warmed, over a high fiber chip (we like the bean/brown rice–based chips), and then add melted cheese and really anything else you like on your nachos. On the side, we usually do some cut-up raw veggies. You can probably tell from the title of this post that my children ask for ‘vegetarian nachos’ all. . . the. . . time.

Although there is only 3 tablespoons in the whole pot of beans we’ve just made, I thought it’d still be fun to highlight this next ingredient since it is something used quite consistently in my cooking, and most likely many of yours. It is. . .

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil contains:
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (‘MUFAs’): improve risk factors for cardiovascular disease
Phenols/Polyphenols: Anti-inflammatory

So, that’s all for now. Please feel free to ask questions about my experience with the IP, Weekday Vegetarianism, olive oil, general nutrition or whatever! See you next time!

References:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/mufas/faq-20057775
2. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=132

*Recipe adapted from here:http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2016/01/03/instant-pot-refried-beans/

Disclaimer:
Any content you find on Sunny Seeds Nutrition Blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.