Easy Salsa Beans

Fast, versatile and delicious, this recipe uses the popular Insta-pot. If you don't have one, substitute 4 16-oz. cans of rinsed, drained beans. Like all beans, these freeze beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry beans (or 4 cans drained beans). Anasazi, black beans, pintos, red beans, etc.

• 1 cup Pace picante sauce (or favorite jarred salsa without sugar or oil)

• 1 large sweet onion, quartered

• 1 large red bell pepper, quartered

• 4-8 cloves garlic (to taste)

• 1 15-oz. can fire roasted or regular diced tomatoes, with juice

• 2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

• 1 tsp. cumin

• 1 Tblsp. onion powder

• 2 tsp. chili powder

• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

• 1 cup minced cilantro, optional

Preparation

1. Wash dry beans and add to Instant-pot with 8 cups of water. Cook on 'manual' setting for 30 minutes. Release pressure.

2. In blender, put everything except the canned tomatoes. Pulse until mostly smooth. Add to instant pot, along with canned tomatoes. Close pot and set on 'manual' setting for 10 minutes. Release pressure and stir in cilantro. Enjoy as is, or with cornbread, oil-free crackers or over brown fragrant rice (like Jasmine or Basmati). If desired, garnish with chopped grape tomatoes and avocado slices.

Stove top method:

Put canned beans in a medium pot and add the contents of the blender, plus the can of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.