One of my favorite food blogger friends, Phoebe Lapine, of the fantastic blog Feed Me Phoebe, had a genius idea.  She recently moved and came to the conclusion that she is a pantry hoarder.  Um, guilty over here, too!  Phoebe then suggested to some other food blogger friends/pantry hoarders that we gather together for a virtual “Pantry Purge.”  I love this idea.  Nothing says a fresh start like cleaning out your pantry.

I especially love a good purge at the beginning of spring, nature’s new year.  Out with the old, in with the new.  One day last year I was making a grocery list for the meals I wanted to cook for the coming week and I took a look at my bulging pantry and refrigerator and thought, no way.  We had plenty of food and there was no need to buy anything.  I vowed to use up what I had no matter how weird the combos or what were in the “mood” for that week.  It was a challenge, but there was only one dinner that was kind of a fail (I thought I was making potstickers to go with a stir-fry and they were pierogis), but since then I have been a little more conscientious about using what I’ve got.

Our mission for Phoebe’s virtual pantry purge was to post a recipe that includes one or more pantry staples, e.g. grains, legumes, random flours, spices, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc.  After spying a bag of dried pinto beans, too much tomato paste that I over-ordered for a class a few months ago and a bottle of tequila which I will never drink, coupled with the fact that Cinco de Mayo is about a month away, I knew a recipe for Drunken Beans, aka Frijoles Borrachos, would be happening on my blog.

Mexican food was not part of my life until I moved to California.  I’m not sure where all the avocados were hiding in the 80’s on the East Coast, but none ever crossed my plate.  In Los Angeles, there is no shortage of fantastic Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.  I naturally favor the lighter dishes like fajitas, rice and beans, fresh salsas and pico de gallo, and anything that has an avocado on it.  Someone in my class asked me the other day, “How much avocado should I limit myself to per day?”  Not a question that ever crossed my mind.  I’m still thinking if there’s an answer.  I digress.

These are my favorite beans I have ever made.  They are drunken because of the tequila and the beer, and so much more flavorful than standard refried beans.  I personally don’t find these to be very spicy, but if you want no heat at all, just omit the pinch of cayenne.  Do not worry about serving these to children.  All the alcohol gets cooked off.  No one will end up drunk eating drunken beans, sorry to say!  Drunken beans are typically a little brothy and served more in Northern Mexico and especially with meats, like carne asada for example.  I love a simple rice and beans meal myself, but I served these drunken beans recently with a South American roast chicken and the flavors together were fantastic.  That said, beans have plenty of protein that you don’t need an animal protein at the same meal.

Pinto beans, as well as black, kidney, red and Adzuki beans are all incredibly high in antioxidants, and contain even more than cultivated blueberries which everyone thinks is top of the list.  Antioxidants stop free radicals from damaging other cells in your body.  So it is important to know which foods have the most antioxidants because in today’s toxic world, our bodies need all the help they can get to fight damage-causing free radicals.  Beans are also low in fat, high in fiber and very inexpensive.  A pound of dried beans can be as little as $1.50.

If you are inclined to purge your pantry (it’s fun and liberating — do it!!), here are some great recipes from some very talented bloggers which can help you use up what you’ve got:

Feast + West | Honey Chipotle Roasted Chickpeas

Clean Food Dirty City | Lentil Rice Bowl with Shaved Cauliflower Salad

Crepes of Wrath | Garlic Noodles

Appeasing a Food Geek | Wine Wednesday + a Kale and Tomato Galette

Feed Me Phoebe | Maple Pecan Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Domesticate ME! | Chicken and Wheat Berry Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Arugula

Arthur Street Kitchen | Kale Kimchi

Pamela Salzman | Drunken Beans

The Mom 100 | Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

Snixy Kitchen | Kale Salad with Toasted Nuts, Seeds, & Buckwheat

The Speckled Palate | Curried Veggie Rice Bowls

Loves Food, Loves to Eat | Warm Lentil Salad with Butter-Crumbed Eggs

The Naptime Chef | Basil Polenta with Pine Nuts and Feta