Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos

Summertime is perfect for easy meals that can be enjoyed on the patio. Mind you, these zesty and creamy pinto bean burritos would be delicious any time of year but wrapping up vibrant Mexican-spiced goodness in a handheld burritos seems especially suited to warm summer days. Apart from a bit of chopping and cooking the beans, this fresh-tasting burrito filling with avocado, corn and cilantro all comes together in very little time. Vegans may leave out the cheese and sour cream, of course, and the results would still be most pleasing to serve up. Spicy and cooling, and packed full of flavor, this one comes highly recommended from my kitchen.

So, what did I make to please my husband and best friend so much?

Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on July 26, 2013 Vibrant, zesty and creamy fresh-tasting pinto bean burritos with avocado, cilantro, corn and spices — refreshing on a warm summer day Print this recipe Beans: 1 1/4 cups dried pinto beans 1 ancho (dried poblano) chili 1 bay leaf 1/2 red onion 1 avocado, peeled and chopped or diced juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 1/4 cup cilantro, leaves and stalks, chopped 8 7-inch flour or corn tortillas, warmed Sauce: 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large shallot, finely chopped 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika pinch or two of cayenne (optional) 2 large plum tomatoes, partially seeded and finely chopped 1 cup fresh or frozen corn 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 cup fresh grated extra-old Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons sour cream Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in enough water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Add ancho chili, bay leaf, and onion, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool. Discard the onion and bay leaf. Scoop out the seeds from the ancho chili and set aside. When the beans have cooled, gently toss in the avocado, lime juice, ancho chili seeds and fresh cilantro. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. When hot, toss in the shallot and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Add the cumin seeds, jalapeños, chili powder, paprika and cayenne if using, and continue to stir for another minute. Now add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the corn and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the Cheddar cheese and sour cream. Taste for seasoning and stir the mixture into the beans and avocado. Serve wrapped in warmed 10-inch flour or corn tortillas with sour cream, hot sauce, chili powder or cilantro as garnish, or serve as a dip with crunchy baked tortilla chips. Makes 8 7-inch burritos or 4 servings

More pinto bean dishes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Corn and Pinto Bean Dip
Roasted Corn and Jalapeño Cheese Soup
Refried Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

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Black Bean and Quinoa Mexican-Style Chipotle Vegetarian Chili

For someone as enamored of Mexican food as myself, it's rather surprising I suppose that I've seriously acquainted myself with chipotle peppers only this past year. Sure, I've used canned chipotles in adobo sauce on an occasion or two, but the adobo sauce quite overwhelmed any appreciation I might have gained for the pepper on its own. After receiving some chipotle spice blend and also finding the dried whole chipotles in the market, I am quite taken with the smoky heat and depth that these smoke-dried jalapeños bring to food. I expect that chipotles will find their way into many of my Mexican-style recipes from hereon…

…such as in this thick, smoky and spicy chili. Loaded with black beans, quinoa and plenty of vegetables, this simple and full-flavored chili is a complete, nourishing and filling meal in one pot. And it makes enough to feed a family or, in my case, to send a husband off to work with lunch for a few days. A slice of two of homemade cornbread on the side makes this chili a terrific meal.

If you don't have chipotle powder or dried whole chipotles, substitute extra chili powder or paprika and a dried whole red chili or two. For the smoky flavor, add a drop or two of liquid smoke or a pinch or two of smoked paprika.

This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair this month, a popular ongoing event celebrating legumes started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and now administered by me. The host this month is PJ of Seduce Your Tastebuds and she will be accepting entries for edition #57 until the end of the month. Looking forward to seeing all of the tasty dishes this time around. Also sharing with Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

Black Bean and Quinoa Mexican-Style Chipotle Vegetarian Chili

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on March 19, 2013 Thick, smoky, spicy and zesty chili loaded with black beans, quinoa and plenty of vegetables for a complete, nourishing and filling meal in one pot Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried black beans (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1 cup uncooked quinoa   2 dried whole chipotle peppers 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 oz (14 g) dried mushrooms   1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 small cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 to 3 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped   2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon cayenne   5 to 8 button mushrooms, sliced 1 large tomato, chopped 1 to 2 cups of vegetable stock or water 2 ears fresh corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen   zest from 1 lime juice from 2 limes sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Garnish: greek yogurt or cream (optional) fresh grated Cheddar or jack cheese (optional) fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional) Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Separately, rinse the quinoa and soak for 8 hours or overnight in 2 cups of water. Drain and rinse the beans, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain, transfer to a medium bowl, and mash about 1/3 of the beans with a fork or potato masher. Set aside. Meanwhile, soak the dried chipotles, dried mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and chop. Set aside. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. When hot, add the onions, carrots, celery and cauliflower, and stir for 6 to 8 minutes or until the onion is softened and the cauliflower just begins to brown. Now add the garlic and jalapeños and continue to stir for another minute or two. Toss in the spices and stir for another minute. Now add the fresh mushrooms to the pan, turn up the heat to medium-high, and stir for 4 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to soften. Stir in the chipotles, sun-dried tomatoes, dried mushrooms, fresh tomato, black beans, and quinoa along with the quinoa's soaking water. Add about 1 cup of the vegetable stock or water. If you are using fresh corn, add it now. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often and adding more stock or water as needed. If you are using frozen corn, add it during the last 10 minutes of the cooking time. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. Serve hot garnished with a swirl of yogurt or cream, grated Cheddar or jack cheese and chopped fresh parsley or cilantro if desired. Makes 8 servings

More one-pot meals from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Azuki Bean Casserole
Black Bean Chili with Toasted Spices
Mesopotamian Barley, Chickpea, Lentil and Tahini Soup
Simple Chana Dal, Dill and Tomato Khichri

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Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

This is about as quick and easy a supper idea as you can get, especially if you have a pot of beans cooked up ahead of time or if you use canned beans. Five minutes preparation and ten minutes cooking, and you have a delicious, zesty and nourishing simple supper or a terrific side dish for a Mexican-themed dinner.

It's an especially appealing idea if you're like me and have plenty of ears of fresh corn and green beans on hand during the summer but other seasonal vegetables can be substituted … even squashes or grated root vegetables in the winter. Of course if it doesn't have fresh corn it's not technically a succotash, but on the other hand a truly traditional succotash has lima beans and lard instead of pinto beans and olive oil and you can use frozen or canned corn. I don't imagine that your diners or dinner partner, or yourself for that matter if you happen to be dining alone, will be debating the technicalities as the meal is enjoyed. The most rewarding thing about cooking is coming up with new and innovative variations on classics and showcasing and eating the results.

Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on January 16, 2013 Quick and easy chipotle-seasoned pinto bean succotash with corn and green beans Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried pinto beans (1 1/2 cups cooked or 14 oz can) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ears fresh corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn 1 cup green beans, chopped 2 green onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the pinto beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, green beans, green onions, garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for 4 or 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Add the tomato, spices, oregano and salt, and stir for 3 minutes or until the tomato starts to soften. Mash some of the beans with a fork and add to the skillet. Stir for 1 or 2 minutes or until the beans are heated through. Remove from heat, add black pepper to taste, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or warm. Makes 2 regular servings or 4 side servings

Other quick and easy meal ideas you might enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Zesty Black Bean and Avocado Salad
Black and Green Bean Corn Hash
Vegetarian Stove-Top Calabacitas
Baked Avocado and Egg with Miso Butter

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