Crock Pot Vegan Refried Beans

I use Refried Beans for a lot of meals.  Sometimes, I don't actually mush them after they've been cooked, so they're just lovely little pinto beans sharing their space with a few lone onion slices. 
This recipe is a must have, ESPECIALLY if you are being gluten-free, vegan and FRUGAL!  Don't be paying a buck a can for beans when you can buy in bulk and save a ton of money.  And with this recipe, you won't be sweating over a hot stove for hours like a little Mexican senorita, either.  Crock pot, baby!  Oh yeah.  Take that Rosarito refried rip off!

Crock Pot Vegan Refried Beans
Serves: a bunch

• 3 cups pinto beans
• 6-8 cups water
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
• 5 crushed cloves garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

 Rinse the beans in a collander in the sink.  Then soak the beans overnight.  This breaks down the starches and helps them digest in your tummy better.  If you'd like, you can do a quick soak.  The directions for that should be on the package, but basically, you place the beans in a giant pot, with about 6-8 cups water, bring it to a boil and let it boil for 2 minutes.  Then take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for about an hour to an hour and a half

Put the soaked beans in the crock pot and add the water, onion, salt, garlic, paprika, oregano, pepper, turmeric and vinegar.  (I read somewhere to save the vinegar until the last hour of cooking, but I can't tell the difference, and I've done it both ways.)  Mix it up and set it at low for 8 hours or so.  When the beans are finished, you can serve them as is, or place them in a pan, a little at a time, with a little of the liquid they've been simmering in, and mash them with a potato masher.  Serve with chips, on tacos, with gluten-free tortillas to make burritos....you name it.  You can freeze a bunch and keep it on hand for a quick meal.  It's cheap, easy and very healthy.  You control the sodium, there's no fat, and no aluminum leeching into your food from cans.