Pinto Bean Chilli

If you are at alllike me you'll love putting your slow cooker on in the morning, coming home after a long day at work and dinner is ready. It really is the best feeling ever.

That was the plan for this dish, as I was working night last week, I was going to put dinner on in the morning when I went to bed and it would be ready for me and the mr at dinner time. However I fell straight asleep and forgot! Luckily my slow cooker recipe book also gives me the traditional way of cooking things. Winner! 

So pinto bean chilli, I discovered pinto beans a few weeks ago in another recipe. They can be a bit of a nightmare as cooking them requires you to soak them over night and then cook them for 45-50minutes. However I found that Asda stocks them already cooked - what a difference this will make to my cooking! 

The recipe was to serve 4-6 so I halved it & there was still enough for me, the mr, me for lunch the next day and a bit left over!

What you'll need:

Frylight(the original recipe says oil but I changed it to make it weight watcher friendly) 

1 red onion chopped

1-2 garlic cloves

1-2 chillies

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cinnamon stick

Pinch of dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp cider vinegar

200g chopped tomatoes

1/2 tsp tomatoe purée

1/2 tsp artificial sweetener (the recipe said brown sugar, and as we don't have any 'proper' sugar in the house I improvised)

200g pinto beans

450ml vegetable stock

It's really simple to make the traditional way, and I'm looking forward to making it again in the slow cooker (if the mr agrees - he likes meat in his dinner!)

1) spray a saucepan with fry light & cook the onions until they start to brown, add in the garlic,  chillies, spices and herbs and cook for 2 minutes

2) add the vinegar, tomato purée, tomatoes, sugar, pinto beans and stock. Bring to the boil

3) simmer for 1-1.5 hours until thickened

I worked it out at 3pp per portion. I served it with rice for an extra 5pp.

I thought it was really yummy & was also delicious the next day warmed up. The mr wasn't so keen as he likes meat - he's very fussy!

 If you give it a go I hope you like it!!