Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the desired consistency is reached. I like to start the beans in the morning and then come back to then after work or before bed to wake up to freshly cooked beans.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Quinoa
Add all of the ingredients into a rice cooker. I like to start with the larger produce and then add the smaller ingredients. Top with the spices. And then add the quinoa and water.
Press the cook button on the rice cooker. It should take about 45 minutes to cook.
When the quinoa is fully cooked, let sit for 10 minutes. Then, fluff with a wooden spoon and serve.Do not use a fork or other metal utensil. It will scratch off the nonstick surface on the rice cooker. This will leach Teflon into your food and cause future dishes to stick to the bottom.
Fajitas
Preheat a large skillet on medium-high heat with high heat oil.I have a fajita serving skillet that you can see in the photos above. However, it's important to note that this is for serving only. While it is an actual cast iron skillet that can be used to cook, it's not large enough to cook a full batch of produce down.So, I used a larger skillet and then heated the ornamental one and transferred it afterwards for presentation. This is a little ridiculous and I'd recommend just putting everything on a plate! But this is an option, if you'd like to be as excessive as I was here.
Add thinly sliced produce to the skillet and cook for 7-10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally in order to cook evenly. The edges of the peppers should lightly char.
Remove from heat.
Plate with beans, quinoa, sautéed peppers, sliced avocado, lime wedges, and a dash of salt and pepper.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
For more tips and tricks, I have an entire article on The Fundamentals of Stovetop Black Beans. This article can be particularly helpful if you want to soak the beans overnight beforehand. I also have another article on The Fundamentals of Slow Cooker Black Beans if you'd prefer to use a crock pot, instead of the stove. This takes 8 about hours, but is hands off and doesn't require soaking the beans.