I made this economical bean and peanut spread over the weekend that was well-received in my household. I was looking for something savory and lower in fat than peanut butter, but not terribly bean-y. However, I was open to using some beans as they'd provide protein and reduced fat. I then thought about the tasty combo of curry seasonings and peanuts.
So I decided to try a pinto bean, peanut butter, dried fruit, veg, and curry powder/spice mixture.
I pureed the pinto beans and peanut butter together (about a 3:1 ratio), then added curry powder, ground cloves, and ground ginger plus a bit of salt. I chopped celery and onion and sautéed in a little oil. I also chopped some raisins up (so the bits would be smaller). I stirred the veg and fruit into the seasoned spread and adjusted the taste.
We've mostly had this on bread as open-faced sandwiches and on apple wedges. I'm pleased with the end result -- a savory, reduced fat/high protein spread that goes well with bread, apples, celery sticks, and crackers.
In coming weeks, I'll be experimenting with other flavor combos to mix with pureed beans and peanut butter.
