Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are a brown beige color with dark red brown specks. When cooked, they turn to a pink color.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89

When preparing, sort the pinto beans. Pick out any bad beans or debris such as rocks or dirt. Rinse the beans thoroughly with water more than once. Pinto beans should be soaked in water overnight before cooking. If beans need to be used the same day, they can be soaked using the quick soak method. Place pinto beans in a saucepan with water and boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for one hour covered with a lid. Soaking the beans first will cut down on cooking time. When the pinto beans are ready to be cooked, pour the water off, and cook with fresh water.http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html

Pinto beans can be cooked using the following methods: pressure cooker, microwave, saucepan on the stovetop, and a crock-pot. To cook in a pressure cooker, add enough water to cover the beans according to pressure cooker instructions, and add a teaspoon of cooking oil to prevent foam from forming. Cook at fifteen pounds of pressure for about twenty-five minutes until soft. To cook in the microwave, add soaked pinto beans to a microwavable container with fresh water. Cook for about eight to ten minutes (every microwave varies) on high power. Turn down the power to half power, and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes more until soft. To use a saucepan on the stovetop, bring water to a boil, and add pinto beans. Turn the temperature down to a simmer, and let cook for two or three hours, or until soft. To cook in a crock-pot, add beans and water. Set to high to boil the water. Change the setting to low and let simmer for four to six hours or until soft.http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html

Pinto beans are a source of molybdenum, folate, dietary fiber, tryptophan, manganese, protein, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and thiamine (vitamin B1). Pinto beans are known to help blood sugar levels stable.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89 http://www2.state.id.us/bean/nutrition/value.htm

Pinto beans were found in Mexico in 4000 BC.http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html Later, pinto beans migrated to Central and South America. In the fifteenth century, Spanish explorers then discovered the beans and brought them over to Europe, and then to Africa and Asia.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89

Today, India, China, Indonesia, Brazil and the United States are the largest producers of pinto beans.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89

Pinto beans are served as a side dish, in salads, soups, chili, dips, baked beans, etc. Some of the dishes are:

• Refried Beanshttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
• Bean Tostadoshttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
• Baked Pinto Beanshttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
• Pinto Bean Saladhttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
• Mock Pumpkin Piehttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
• Pinto Bean Fudgehttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html