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As it's almost time to get back on track with healthy eating I'd like to try making some healthier baked beans that aren't packed with sugar and salt but lots of flavour. I'd like to make a big batch I could freeze some of so when I want a baked potato with beans it is ready to go.
Whilst we're at it any other homemade, healthier versions of things I could have a go at? I'm not dieting but want healthy hearty meals with less fat and sugar to help shift a couple of winter kgs.
Soup. Make a huge pot of it to last all week and control the level of salt and additives. I make mine with just about entire days worth of 5 a day in one big bowl.
I just made a batch.
A bag of dried haricot and a bag of dried butter beans.
Soak for ages (I did 3 days)
Slowly render some fatty bacon chunks lardons or even better some thick cut italian Pancetta, chopped into small chunks. You want the fat! Slowly cook until tender and beginning to caramelise, a load of onions.
For the sauce, (and this is for a few kilos in the slow cooker dont forget) A substantial splodge of, say half a cup, of molasses/black treacle, as much or as little soft brown sugar as you wish, plenty of paprika, smoked paprika, english mustard powder, chill pepper to taste (effectively firecracker powder you're making) a dash of balsamic vinegar is a winner too.
Add to casserole or crock pot with 4 or 5 tins of good quality chopped tomatoes. And cook for 6 or 7 hours.
Nom.
Alternatively I cook them in a casserole on the wood burner several nights in a row.
Rather than doing big batches and freezing another option is do something quick
Small pan
Fry some chilli, garlic and rosemary (or thyme or both) gently - don’t let the garlic go brown and bitter
Tip in on carton of nice beans (flageolet, borlotti, canellni all work well)
Cook for a bit, season, and chuck in a splash of red wine vinegar just before you serve.
Some beans work well if you drain before you add to the pan - butter beans pop and go nice and crispy - others benefit from leaving some of the liquid in- flageolet or pinto beans work well that way and make a nice saucy dish
Any beans work well enough either way though
That sounds amazing and I do have a slow cooker and all those ingredients already (black treacle not molasses). When you say on the woodburner is that a special one for cooking on or just sat on top? Does this cook differently than on the hob?
since you have the wood burner going save on oven time by using the wood stove top. If it's getting a bit hot put the casserole on a metal trivet on the stove for a while
Good one that's how I do my mince pies with a cake tin on top!
Mine are similar to stoner's but I add spicy chorizo as well,and a chipotle chilli instead of the smoked paprika.