Paleo Refried Beans
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 medium eggplant, or 2 large zucchini
  • 4 strips bacon, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped onions (about 1 large)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapeño pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
  • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
  • or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Peel and cube the eggplant. Place the eggplant and bacon in a
  2. large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry until the bacon
  3. is crisp and the eggplant is very soft, about 10 minutes. Using a
  4. slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant and bacon to a food processor;
  5. leave the bacon fat in the pan. Puree the eggplant and bacon until
  6. smooth.
  7. Cook the onion in the skillet with the bacon fat over medium-high
  8. heat, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño,
  9. chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne to the onion and cook,
  10. stirring, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the eggplant
  11. puree and oregano. Cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon,
  12. until the mixture forms a thick paste, 5 to 10 minutes, adding water
  13. tablespoon at a time to keep it from getting dry. Sprinkle with the
  14. cheese and cilantro, if using, and serve. Store in an airtight container
  15. in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in a lightly
  16. greased skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or heat to
  17. your liking.
  18. vegetarian option: Peel and slice the eggplant, wrap it in foil, and smoke
  19. it in a wood smoker for 2 hours. This gives the eggplant a natural bacon
  20. flavor without using bacon.
Notes
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Re-fried Beans = 183 calories, 6.6g fat, 7g protein, 24g carbs, 6g fiber (18 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Re-fried "Beans" = 93 calories, 5.6g fat, 5.7g protein, 5.8g carbs, 2.6g fiber (3.2 effective carbs)
Recipe by Maria Mind Body Health at https://mariamindbodyhealth.com/paleo-refried-beans/