Cook: Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes

I've pulled and shredded the jackfruit. I've umamied the TVP. I've mashed the tofu, seitan and tempeh. I've even slopped it up a few times with the lentils. Basically, I've been around the sloppy joe block more times than Thomas has been around the tr...er, a hooker has been around...er, a graham cracker crust has been around a meringue of key lime. My current obsession, I'm talking three batches since Memorial Day skipped town, is a version of sloppy joes made from pinto beans.

Beans? Yeah, I know. I didn't buy it at first either. Originally, I only went with it because I had a pantry full of pintos and I needed to get rid of them before the move. If there is one thing I've learned about moving over the years it is that the less beans that have to be moved, the better. But after two bites, I knew that these pinto sloppy joes would be a big part of my sloppy joe rotation for years to come. So how exactly did it all go down? Something like this:





Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes (adapted from Eating Well)
(printable version)

-olive oil
-2 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, small dice
-4 cloves of garlic
-3 Tbs. chili powder
-2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
-2 cups of pinto beans, cooked
-1 large red pepper, small dice
-8 ounces of tomato sauce
-1/2 cup water
-2 Tbs. soy sauce or tamari
-2 Tbs. tomato paste
-4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
-1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
-1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
-3 Tbs. yellow mustar
-1 Tbs. brown sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-buns for sandwiches
-other toppings

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Place the carrots and onions inside and saute, stirring occasionally, until they are beginning to brown.

2. Add in the garlic and chili powder. Cook for about half a minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the vinegar and bell pepper. Scrape up any browned bits. Stir a couple times and then place the pan back on the burner and saute until the pepper is soft.

3. Place the onion mixture, beans, soy sauce, tomato sauce, water, and tomato paste into a slow cooker that is set on high. Add the cabbage, zucchini, corn, honey mustard, brown sugar and salt. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Spoon the mixture onto a bun, top with your favorite slopping joe toppings. Eat it!