To cook dry beans, first pour them into a large bowl and sort out the broken beans. Rinse, drain and add to a large pot. Cover with cool water about 1" above the beans. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, or until the beans are soft. (Note: if using canned beans, you can skip this step)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot, add the avocado oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until golden brown, or about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until garlic is soft and tender, or about 2 more minutes.
Next, add in the black beans, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and bay leaves. Add water until the beans are barely covered and continue to cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated.
Remove the bay leaves and squeeze lime juice into the beans.
Remove bay leaves and squeeze lime juice into the beans.
Add beans to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the beans are mashed and at the desired consistency.
Transfer the beans to a baking dish and cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before topping with sour cream, sliced jalapenos or your other favorite toppings. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!