Refried Beans

Hey all... I just opened a can of refried beans, and have no idea what to do with them.  I don't want to do the traditional bean burrito, so how do you guys eat them?  Main dish, side, dip, whatever.  I'm game.

I would throw them away. I can't think of a food that would be worse for you.  Yeah I can, but refried beans is up on the list.

why are they bad?  I've been eating them in tortillas and thought they had fiber and protein?  Just curious

actually homemade refried beans are pretty good for you... you're being misled by the re"fried" part.

 pinto beans or black beans are good for you!

I like taking canned black beans, a little cumin, paprika, garlic (powder usually) and chili powder (and sometimes hot sauce depending on my mood) and simmer that with some chicken stock and even sometimes some finely diced cherry tomatoes. Then after about 15-20 min, I mash them away to perfect consistency, adding more stock if needed. That's still considered refried, like twice baked sorta and almost taste like chili (I guess cause of all the cumin)

As long as you are watching the sodium levels in canned beans, you'll be fine nutrition wise (but dry beans work just as well if you do the proper soak and bonus, they are dirt cheap!)

I personally make this all the time and use it in fish tacos or just a bean burrito with roasted red peppers, onions, maybe some cheese. I love beans, especially the refried sort.

I don't know the nutrition in pre-made refried beans though, but I don't think they are that bad! They aren't deep fried as far as I know.

I microwave them and mix them with cooked millet and frozen veggies that I also heated up. Sooooo good and really simple.

BTW- they are fat free organic refried beans.  Not too bad in the sodium department, either.  No lard.

Use it as a dip for veggies, mix with rice, or roll it up in a tortilla with rice/veggies/cheese or just by itself!  I usually mix in salsa and cumin to give a really nice flavor.  You can also top with sour cream if you like.

Whoever said to throw them away is silly.  They aren't bad unless they are cooked with lard, etc.  Many of the canned varieties are fine.  I get the vegetarian kind and look for the one with the lowest sodium.  I like to cook beans from scratch but these are a little bit too much trouble for me, so I prefer canned.  :)

I cooked dried ones once and decided I like the canned better.  I am very careful about sodium other times so allow it in the refriend beans.  Also, as I've said on CC, I try to keep protein up, but tire of beef and poultry, so beans are a nice variety.

Hello,

Read the label to find the fat content.  If it is too high you can buy fat free refried beans which is what I get and can't tell the difference.  If you want to spice them up a bit put in some salsa.  Cumin is good to.  You can always make tostadas with them.  I prefer bean tostadas over the beef ones.  Lower in fat and they are good for you with all the veggies on top.  Use dark green leafy lettuce instead of the iceburg (which has no nutritional value.)

Enjoy the ones you just opened!

Oh yes, tostadas are yummy...!

i put them on tostadas or in tacos and top with shredded lettuce, salsa, and soy cheese.

I love refried beans, but the canned ones have a huge amount of salt in them, almost 5 grams of salt for one can. I have made my own using black beans and they have come out pretty good, still working on perfecting them. They are good as the base for a dip or things like burritos, they are not bad as a source of fiber.