Mediterranean Salsa. Cha cha cha.

Tonight I wanted something wholesome, healthy and filling (and no..not really any Fall foods as I have been craving) I needed something asap to recover from a knarly migraine... so I made from scratch Mediterranean Salsa.

How to make the Salsa:

Mix 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp basil leaves, 1 tsp oregano leaves, and 1/2 tsp onion salt (actually instead of onion salt, I literally chopped up a quarter of a red onion. And I added the tiniest pinch of table salt). Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow flavours to blend. Serve with pita chips or eat as it is.

Note - I did not wait 30 minutes nor eat with pita chips or pita bread... I just dug in... though I did add a dollop of homemade from scratch refried beans that I had left over from Monday's Mexican Night.

Though it took some preparation time, I really enjoy homemade refried beans so much better. Even Mister loved these (who despite eating like an entire NFL football team, is rather picky) He liked the smooth creamy texture but minus all the fat and preservatives from the canned kind at the store. I completely agree! So creamy, fresh and tasty!

How to make Refried Beans from Scratch:

I used an entire bag of dry pinto beans. Soak and cook beans as directed on package. (to quicken - you could use canned beans) Once the beans have cooked to completion, add beans, a finely chopped red onion, a dash of oregano, and about two tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil into a blender. Blend into a fine choppy bean paste. (you may have to slowly add water during blending to help with the smoothing consistency).

Once the beans have been choppily blended, heat a well-oiled skillet with olive oil over medium heat. (Careful not to let the skillet get too hot or on high heat, this could scorch the bean paste, leaving a really gross burnt taste in your finished product.) Slowly stir your bean paste until it has become thoroughly heated and slightly bubbly.

Again take this heated paste and return it back to the blender, it may have thickened greatly, so you may need to add another tablespoon of oil into the blender mix and water during the blending process. Also during this time, add salt to the mixture to taste. Blend well until the paste becomes smooth and creamy in consistency.  At this point, the refried beans are ready to use for cooking creations :)

This recipe makes a lot! But you can totally put the refried beans into a tupperware container and keep in the fridge or put the rest in the freezer and use as needed. Note - it becomes more flavourful as days progress in the fridge. This is a great and far healthier alternative to the gross canned refried beans. It may take a little work in prep but totally worth it in the end! Enjoy!