Refried Beans from Canned Black Beans and Pan Nachos

Because of my issue with soy I am needing to find alternatives for most foods, refried beans being one of them. My amazing sister showed me how to make my own "refried beans" using canned black beans. It is super easy and equally delicious.

For my family of five I use:

2 - 14oz cans of black beans (drained and rinsed well)
3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped finely)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of water

Boil these on the stove until most of the liquid has been cooked out. Then you can either serve them as is or mash them up a bit. I put them through the food processor for a few seconds since I don't have a potatoes masher.

I have been using this recipe to make nachos so I usually add about a 1/4 cup of taco seasoning. Also, don't be afraid to add some minced veggies. I've added onion and zucchini (mince half a zucchini in the food processor or blender before mashing the beans) and my family was none the wiser.

The fact that this is a healthier version of refried beans hasn't occurred to them either. I LOVE it!

For Pan Nachos:

If you want meat:

brown 1 lb of burger (add taco seasoning packet)
add beans
add 1 can of stewed tomatoes (drained)

Spread on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Top with your favorite nacho toppings (cheese, olives, green onions, jalapenos, etc). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden around the edges. Serve with chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. You can even use it as a filling for burritos.

This recipe gives us plenty for one dinner and lots of leftovers. Since it's not a meal the girls especially enjoy we usually have plenty left over. I made this for the five of us and my parents and we still had leftovers so I imagine it would be safe to say it feeds 6-8 adults (with the meat).

Enjoy!