Caramelized Black Bean "Butter"

Caramelized onions lend the black beans an intriguing sweetness and complexity, which is highlighted by balsamic vinegar and cocoa. Spread on a sandwich of sliced ciabatta with grilled vegetables and arugula. It's also great with baked tortilla chips.

Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 4  cups  chopped onion
• 2  (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• 2  teaspoons  unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  paprika
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until golden. Place onion, beans, vinegar, cocoa, salt, and paprika in a food processor; process until smooth. Place bean mixture in a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

17 (2% from fat)

Fat:

0.4g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.0g)

Protein:

0.7g

Carbohydrate:

3.1g

Fiber:

0.8g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

0.2mg

Sodium:

48mg

Calcium:

7mg