Pinto Beans in ancho chilies with a Cheeze sauce and fresh salsa

We are back from Quebec...had a great trip. The drive is WAY too long, and I am always happy to be home. There is something about leaving home that makes you appreciate it a bit more when you get back:)

For the past few days I have been catching up on laundry, which always seems to be the thing I always let get out of control. It's not that I don't like it, its just there is always so much of it, that it seems overwhelming. In any case it always gets done, even if the family start to wonder where their socks are...hehe.

I soaked some pinto beans the night before, soaking beans the day before is part of planning out meals, keeps food costs down and dried beans are better for you than canned. I usually soak more then I need, once they are cooked I store them in the freezer. Its a great for when you need some beans and don't have time to soak'm and cook'm.

For this dish I used some dried ancho chilies that I cooked down a few months ago in sauteed onion, garlic, tomatoes, sea salt, and sugar. Blend and stored them in small containers the freezer. When I am ready to use them I just run the container under some hot water and throw the frozen block in the pot. It works well and the flavor can't be replaced.

Pinto beans in ancho chilies

3 cups cooked pinto beans
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion-small diced
3 cloves garlic-minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup ancho chili puree
1 cup water
1 lime-juiced
sea salt
2 tbsp sugar

In a large pot heat oil add onion and garlic saute until soft. Add spices, stir around until combined with onions and garlic. Add tomatoes and the pinto beans and chilies simmer for 20-30 minutes. Adding a little water, if needed. depending on how you like your beans(runny or thick). Add lime juice, sea salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Cheeze Sauce

3 tbsp earth balance margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 cups non-dairy milk
1 tbsp sea salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

In a small pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Add four and yeast. Stir until flour mixture is wet and clumpy. Add garlic and mustard. With a whisk slowly add milk, it will be thick, so you have to adjust the consistency as you go, adding milk, whisking, letting it cook, and adding more milk...etc. Season with sea salt and white pepper.

Fresh Salsa

This is a quick salsa recipe. Not spicy.

1/4 red onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes- chopped into quarters
1 lime-juiced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro-roughly chopped
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar

In a food processor blend the onions and garlic until minced, throw in the tomatoes in the processor and use the pulse button. Pour into a bowl and add the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste.