Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2               cups  dried beans -- black or pinto
  8               cups  cold water
  5             medium  onions -- finely chopped
  8             cloves  garlic -- crushed
  3        tablespoons  jalapeno peppers -- bottled, finely
                        -- chop
  1                     lime -- juice and pulp
  1         tablespoon  chili powder
     1/2      teaspoon  cayanne pepper
  1 1/2      teaspoons  salt
                        freshly ground black pepper
  10            dashes  louisiana hot sauce -- or tobasco
  6             ounces  tomato paste
  3        tablespoons  chicken stock -- defatted

Preparation:

Below is a recipe for fat free "chili" or "ranch" beans. This recipe was developed with the same technique used in the creation of the "Fat Free Marinara Sauce", namely replace fat with taste... I love to make a few quarts of these beans, and then use them over the course of a month. They make a complete meal when mixed with rice (I like basmatti) and topped with fresh, homemade salsa (I will send that recipe along in the future). These beans are so tasty that you will never miss the fat or meat, and they will become a favorite. These beans work well with rice and salsa, or in burritos, tacos, enchiladas, etc. Your fat gorging family and/or friends will never suspect that no fat has been added. They are tasty, healthy, cheap to make, and freeze quite well. Enjoy, Matthew 1.) Saute chopped onions for about ten minutes using chicken stock. Add crushed garlic and jalapenos and saute for five more minutes. Saute until mixture is lightly carmelized. Be certain not to burn garlic or peppers. 2.) Inspect beans for any foreign debris. Remove debris and wash under cold tap in a collandar. Drain throughly. 3.) Bring eight cups of bottled water to a rolling boil in a large sauce pan or pressure cooker. Add washed, dried beans, cover pan and remove from heat. NOTE: Do not heat water at this point if using a pressure cooker. 4.) Allow beans to steep for one hour. No need to soak overnight as this causes the beans to ferment, imparting a bitter taste. Do NOT change water at this point, or a loss of taste will result. NOTE: Skip this step if using a pressure cooker. 5.) Add onion/garlic/jalapeno pepper mixture to the bean and water. Add all remaining seasonings and ingredients to the sauce pan. Mix THROUGHLY with a wooden spoon. 6.) Cover beans and simmer on very low heat for 2 1/2 hours, or pressure cook at high pressure setting for 55 minutes. Stir beans occasionaly when using a conventional sauce pan. 7.) Allow beans to cool to room temperature and then freeze or refrigerate. 8.) Allow beans to develop for at least 24 hours in refrigerator. They keep for at least two weeks in my refrigerator, and months in the freezer if properly packaged for storage. 9.) Enjoy ;)

Nutritional Information:

1830 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 109g Protein; 353g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 5157mg Sodium