SIMPLE SEASONED ADZUKI BEANS

Simple Seasoned Adzuki Beans image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 cups dried aduki beans (or pinto or another type of beans)
4 slices preservative-free bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces- optional; bacon lends a nice smoky saltiness but you can leave out for vegetarian beans
1 teaspoon course sea salt or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste

Steps:

If not using aduki beans, it's best to soak your beans overnight in a large pot covered with water. After they have soaked, drain them and rinse several times. If you are using the aduki beans, just go ahead and rinse them.
Place rinsed beans and bacon in a large pot on the stove. Pour water over the beans to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Skim any foam that might rise to the top while cooking, and add additional water (or stock), if there does not seem to be enough liquid.
Cook until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours (or as long as 3 hours for pinto and other beans).
Add the sea salt (don't add too much if you've used stock) and pepper, plus the seasonings I mentioned (or others that you like) to taste. You can serve these in whole wheat or corn tortillas with the toppings of your choice: think grated raw cheese, fresh salsa, guacamole, organic sour cream, etc. Or have some in a bowl with a side of cornbread. Fresh chopped tomato, cucumber, red pepper, and sliced avocado are also wonderful additions.
My favorite healthy way to eat these, though, is this: chop some collard greens very fine, add some olive oil and fresh lime juice, and mix with the beans, veggies, and salsa. Top with some green onions and minced cilantro.