Tex Mex Beans! Great to have around for those quick vegan bean bowls...

In this vegan journey over the last one and a half years, I have created some go-to dishes and spice mixtures that I make on a regular basis for those workday lunches that you are trying to prepare at 6 or 7 in the morning. The first one here is a Tex-Mex Pinto Bean pot that I cook up once every couple of weeks. It is a start to finish dish in my 6 Quart Presto Pressure Cooker.

The Spices

The spice mixture is the key, I make it in batches and store it in a container in the freezer and use 2 tablespoons per pot. It goes like this:

Salt	3.5	Tbsp
Cumin	4	Tbsp
Chili Powder	2	Tbsp
Garlic Powder	2	Tbsp
Onion Powder	2	Tbsp
Paprika	2	Tbsp
Cayenne	1	tsp
Thyme	4	tsp
Oregano	4	tsp
Sugar	2	tsp

Buy good beans and give 'em a soaking bath

The day before you plan to prepare this dish, soak 2 cups of dry pinto beans in 6 cups of water and 1 tsp salt. I source my organic pinto beans from a local healthy grocer, Ellwood Thompson's Supermarket in Richmond, Va. They have a great selection of bilk organic beans and grains and the prices are fair. Could I get off the web? Maybe, but I trust these folks and know that I am getting what's stated on the bin/package and that means a lot to me.

Cook' Em' Up and Enjoy

On the day or night of cooking the beans, saute 1 chopped onion in the pressure cooker over medium heat for about 5 minutes. If it starts to stick just add a little water and it will let go real quick and add a bit of flavor. To this add 1 chopped, seeded jalapeno pepper and saute for an additional couple of minutes. Just a note, I have used chipotle chilies in adobo sauce in place of the jalapeno and it is very good, adding a kick of heat and a nice smoky flavor. Give it a go when you get a chance!

Once the vegetables have softened, add the soaked and rinsed beans to the pot along with 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mixture and 4-5 cups of water or vegetable stock. Watch the sodium on the vegetable stock as some are quite heavy. That's it! Seal it up and let it go for four to five minutes with the top rocking gently, then let the pressure drop on its own. Then when you hear it release, grab a 1/2 cup of rice or oats, maybe a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and you have a bowl of goodness coming your way. I have also added cooked chopped kale or other leafy green in there and it's a great addition to this hearty dish that is both healthy and satisfying!

Enjoy! Maybe I'll add some fancy photos later!

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