Ever since she was new to solid foods, Lily has loves black beans.  Which I love because they are healthy and soft and easy for her to pick up, but I also always wondered when she would grow out of it.  They just don't really seem like a "kid" food, and I was sure that she would start to find something wrong with the flavor or texture.  She never did. (Woohoo!)  There is a Chipotle located dangerously close to our house, so we end up eating there fairly often, and beans and rice are what she always asks for (I'll have to make cilantro-lime rice soon!).  And while it's cheap and easy to get black beans while out, I've been wanting to make them at home, too, try out different spices and additions.  This recipe is a great start.  Plus, it's made in the crock pot, so the ease is just too good to pass up.

I found this recipe from Life on Food as a part of the March SRC swap.  I loved looking through all of Emily's recipes, and almost made something sweet, but since I've always wanted to make homemade black beans, so my curiosity won out.  They make a great side dish or component of a main dish.  Conveniently, this recipe makes a huge batch, so I'll be able to experiment!

Slow-Cooker Black Beans

1 large onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp ground cumin 2 tsp paprika 1 lb dried black beans 1 dried chile 1 14oz can diced tomatoes 2 tsp table salt 8 cups water Juice of 1 lime

Submerge the beans in water and let soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans and put into a large slow cooker.  Add all of the other ingredients except for the lime juice.  Stir to combine.  Close the lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beans are tender.

Add the lime juice and stir.  Serve warm, topped with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc., or plain.

Source: Slightly adapted from Life on Food