Refried Bean Tacos

Celebrating #TacoTuesday in a big way today!

Why?

Besides celebrating almost two months at my new job and some perfect sunny days recently, I’m celebrating the fact that this is the first meal I have fully prepared by myself since I severely hurt my hand since the end of June. Since I needed to undergo hand surgery, my mom came to my apartment and stocked up my freezer with delicious heat-and-eat meals so I didn’t have to try to cook one-handed…

But now I’m cleared by my hand surgeon to do more activities (and was able to ditch the splint I had to wear post-op), which means that I can jump back into the kitchen with both feet (or hands, I guess!). I was anxious to get cooking over the weekend, but also wanted to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it. My goal was to make something fast, easy, and that made enough leftovers for a couple lunches or dinners.

And these Refried Bean Tacos totally hit the spot!

They require minimal prep (I hurt myself with a knife, so still a little anxious when using them) and celebrate all the fresh produce that is available right now.

The beans are easy – I cooked up some onion in a little oil and then added some delicious spices to get all toasty and fragrant (PS: always bloom your spices in warm oil as they have oil-soluble compounds!). Then just pop in the beans with the liquid of your choice (I used chicken broth, but veggie broth or lager/amber beer works amazing here too!). Allow the beans to come to a simmer and cook for a few minutes before smashing them with the back of a wooden spoon – I keep the beans in fairly large pieces because I love the texture, but you can be as aggressive as you want to get them smoother if desired. If the beans are a little loose, cook them a bit longer to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce (optional, but encouraged!).

But everyone knows that the fixin’s are what make tacos amazing! I topped these tacos with some arugula (my go-to salad green for everything), fresh tomatoes, homemade pickled onions, avocado, and a big squeeze of lime!

A great first time back in the kitchen!

Happy Taco Tuesday, friends!

oxox,

Catherine

Refried Bean Tacos

Makes 3 servings (2 tacos each) | Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• One large onion, finely difed
• One 15oz can low sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2/3 cup liquid (chicken broth, veggie broth, lager or amber beer, or water)
• Salt and pepper and hot sauce, to taste
• 6 taco-sized flour tortillas, warmed over a gas burner flame or in the microwave
• Fixin’s – lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickled veggies, lime, sour cream, etc.

Steps:

1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, add the olive oil.
2. When the oil is hot, add in the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
3. Add chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder. Cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add in the beans and liquid of choice. Stir to combine and dissolve the spices. Bring the beans to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, mash beans using the back of a spoon until the desired consistency is reached. Allow the mashed beans to continue to cook if you prefer your beans to have a drier texture.
5. Taste beans and add salt, pepper, and hot sauce (as desired) to taste.
6. To serve, spoon beans into warm tortillas and top with desired fixin’s. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (two tacos with no toppings):

Calories: 357 calories • Carbs: 59gm • Fiber: 10gm • Protein: 14.5gm • Fat: 7gm • Saturated Fat: 2gm • Cholesterol: 0mg • Sodium: 824mg