Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry pinto beans
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 9 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 cups chopped tomato
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt

Preparation: Rinse and drain beans. Discard damaged beans and any foreign material. Cover beans with 6 cups water and boil for two minutes. Cover pot; soak for one to four hours. Discard soaking water.

Combine beans and crushed red pepper in pan; add water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/4 hours or until beans are tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid; discard remaining cooking liquid. Return beans and reserved cooking liquid to pan. Remove from heat.
Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cover and cook 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, mint, paprika, and black pepper. Add onion mixture to bean mixture, stirring well to combine. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Stir in vinegar,salt, and chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.

Notes: To avoid tough beans, always add acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, vinegar, and salt to beans at the end of cooking time.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serv. Size: Serving size 3/4 cup

Amount Per Serving

Cals: na From Fat: na

Total Fat: na

Cholesterol: na

Sodium: na

Total Carb: na

Dietary Fiber: na

Sugars: na

Protein: na