I cook my pinto beans in a large crock pot overnight with two to three cloves of garlic and one medium onion. It’s nice to be able to let the food cook itself. I think this recipe is better than cooking it in a pot. You set it and forget it. The beans take care of themselves.

The onion and garlic both get ‘absorbed’ and disappear into the bean mixture. You don’t have to spend a lot of time and make as big a deal out of making pinto beans.

How to Cook Pinto Beans:

• Add 6 to 8 cups of water to a four quart big pot
• Add two overflowing cups of pinto beans (weed out any rocks, sand or pebbles and rinse first)
• Bring to a boil
• Turn off heat
• Let beans soak in the hot water for an hour
• Pour contents into large crock pot and add water to cover beans
• Add two to three cloves of garlic or more
• Add one diced onion or more
• Cook overnight on low (I cook it 24 hours. From noon one day until noon of the next)
• Test in morning for tenderness
• (I add additional spices like paprika, cumin, chili pepper, black pepper, crushed tomatoes and Ortega chilies during the last couple hours of cooking)
• Long slow cooking tends to make a great tasting ‘thick’ sauce
• Once beans are soft, they are ready to ladle into Tupperware™ to freeze
• Keep a one or two containers handy in the refrigerator for lunches and dinners
• That’s it, nothing fancy here!

I don’t use canned beans anymore, because it seems they are not as thoroughly cooked (canned has salt and other ingredients.) Canned pinto or kidney beans tend to make me feel sick.

Beans have Lectin and cooking beans longer tends to help neutralize their effect on our bodies (similar to choosing roasted nuts and seeds over raw because of their own lectin.) Furthermore, dry beans are cheaper actually tasting better homemade! Did I say that beans make you lose weight?

Don’t we Love our Beans and Brown Rice?

After tender, I ladle the beans into small plastic containers and freeze them until I need to thaw one out. I often eat beans for both lunch and dinner with brown rice. It’s the stuff that sticks to your ribs. It’s healthy, tasty and easy to make, not to mention very economical.

It’s my main protein source, although all fruits and vegetables have it in smaller amounts. I top my beans and rice with red or green salsa. I always have a large salad. You don’t need to eat meat, but take your B12 pills especially if you are over 50.

Tip for reducing excess Gas! 

• The longer you cook your beans the less gas you’ll have. Also, if you eat them frequently, your body eventually adjusts and you’ll have less gas attacks. Also, rinsing the beans may help

Note- before you change your diet consult your doctor.