Homemade Refried Beans with Flame-roasted Red Pepper

I love that feeling when you wake up, check your clock, see that it's 4am and then sigh with happiness because you don't have to get up for like another 4 hours.


best.feeling.ever.


Or, if you're a student, waking up at 8am and sighing with happiness because you have absolutely nowhere to go until at least 1pm. 


#IWantToSleepForever

For my research project this year, I'm studying sleep and it's relation to a bunch of other things (personality, burden, stress, coping). Sleep is such an interesting thing that most of us really don't think too much about.

For instance, I was reading the other day about this phenomenon called "Sleep Paralysis" which, in a nutshell, is paralysis that occurs during REM sleep.

When we enter REM sleep (dreaming) something called REM atonia can occur. This causes our muscle neurons to stop firing, resulting in paralysis. This usually occurs as a person falls asleep or just before they wake up and it can last anywhere between 7 seconds to 7 minutes.

During this REM atonia, the person becomes aware but not quite conscious. In this state, the person can experience hallucinations which are usually of a disturbing and/or frightening nature. Due to these hallucinations, the person can think that they're dreaming. 

Basically, it either occurs as your falling asleep or about to wake up. In these two very different states, the  conscious brain is either trying to make sense of entering a dream-like state; or the subconscious dreaming brain is attempting to make sense of the real world. This, coupled with the REM atonia, is what happens during sleep paralysis.

SEEMINGLY, it occurs in between 20% - 60% of individuals. 

I.never.want.to.sleep.again.

Imagine! Paralysed, stuck to the bed, conscious, but your brain is so confused that it starts making you see all these crazy things!

Worst of all, it most commonly occurs in people who drink excessively and have had inadequate sleep.

How it hasn't happened to me yet, I do not know!

So, to give you some pleasant delightful thoughts before slipping off into the land of nod, I've included this delicious recipe.


I've never had refried beans before but it was delightful. To be honest, It also just gave me a reason to eat a whole bag of doritos.


I reduced the salt in this recipe as there was WAY too much in it. I didn't want my heart to give up after they just fixed it a year ago. I don't think the doctors would be very impressed if I showed up on their doorstep anytime soon saying "I broke it again.."

Homemade Refried Beans with Flame-roasted Red Pepper

2 + 1/2 cups Dry Pinto beans
15 cups Water

1 Onion, diced
1 Roasted Red Pepper, diced
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Salt
1 tsp Dried Chilli Flakes

Soak the beans in water overnight. This shortens the cooking time by SO much.You know, unless you like to boil beans all day, if that's your thing. I'm not judging.


Drain the beans. Place the beans and the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 90 mins. Set aside one cup of the bean juice water before draining.


In a frying pan, fry off the onions, paprika and brown sugar for about 5-10 mins. Add this plus the roasted red pepper to the beans.


Place the bean mix into a blender and blitz on high until you have a smooth purée. You might have to do this in batches depending on how big your blender is. Season with salt as needed.


Buy a big bag of tortilla chips, park yourself infront of the telly, gorge yourself on some delicious "healthy" refried beans.