Slow Cooker Refried Beans

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Have you ever checked the ingredients label on a can of refried beans? Most of them contain a lot more than you bargained for. You can certainly find refried beans that contain only beans and water, but not at every store, and you're going to pay a lot more for them. Since finding this recipe for homemade refried beans, I have not bought a single can of refried beans at the store.

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This is one of those fail-proof recipes. Let me list some reasons why I love these refried beans in comparison to canned:

1. They are so much cheaper. I even buy the organic  pinto beans (in bulk at Whole Foods) and still spend less.
2. They taste better. These refried beans remind me of the ones I used to eat at a little family-run Mexican place in Fort Worth.
3. They are better for you. You know exactly what's going in your mashed up beans and can avoid hydrogenated oils, sugars, and other ingredients you just plain don't need in refried beans.
4. My kids get to experience the process of making real food in their home. They're making the connection between hard pinto beans and the delicious, creamy refried beans they spread on their tortillas.

I have a giant slow cooker, and I often double this recipe and then freeze the refried beans in small and medium containers. I just pull them out and reheat them when we want burritos. Note: The amounts on the spices are approximations. Feel free to adjust according to your taste. I usually just shake them in without even measuring, and they still taste fabulous, every time. The only exception is that sometimes I need to add a little more salt after mixing them together.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans
adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients:
2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
Approx. 6 cups of water

Directions:
Dump the beans into your slow cooker, then add the spices and water. Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight (your kitchen will smell fabulous!). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a food processor (using the "S" blade). Add a little of the water as well. Mix for a few seconds, and then add additional water until the beans get to your desired consistency.