Pinto Beans and Prunes (Vegan)

Here's a quick and easy Mediterranean-inspired dish. Pink beans, cannellini or Great Northern beans can replace the pinto beans if you prefer. Turkish apricots, dates, raisins/currants can sub for prunes, too. From the cookbook 'Bean Banquet: from Boston to Bombay. Serve over pasta, brown rice, coucous, quinoa, etc accompanied by steamed vegetable of choice (we served the beans over whole wheat couscous with a side of freshly steamed green beans) or you may prefer a simple tossed green salad. Non-vegans may enjoy the bean mixture topped with a garnish of crumbled feta...

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 1  cup dried pink beans
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  large yellow onion, diced
• 1  garlic clove, mashed
• 2  cups fresh tomatoes, diced (I tried 1 cup of fire-roasted canned tomatoes and 1 cup of leftover marinara sauce) or 2  cups  canned diced tomatoes
• 1⁄3 cup prune, pitted and diced small (reduced from 3/4 cup)
• 2  tablespoons vinegar (vinegar was not specified but I tried raw apple cider )
• 1⁄4 cup  apple juice or 1⁄4 cup apple cider
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  dash ground cloves
• 1  dash  freshly grated nutmeg
• 2  bay leaves
•  salt, to taste
•  white pepper, to taste

• Garnish

•  fresh basil, cut into ribbons or  fresh parsley, minced
• 1⁄2 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Cook the dried beans *reserving* some of the liquid.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan.
3. Lightly brown the onions and garlic for a few minutes.
4. Add all the ingredients except for the beans and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until onions and prunes are soft.
5. Add the drained beans (and a little bean broth to thin the sauce if necessary.) Heat through for a few minutes.