Baked Beans Classic Recipe makes use of pantry ingredients

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© Darlene Zimmerman Classic Baked Beans

I don’t know about you, but during these uneasy times I like to do things that feel normal and routine. For me, that’s spending time in my kitchen testing recipes.

But, if you’ve been to a grocery store lately, finding all the items you need can be a bit challenging. Over the next few weeks, I thought I’d feature recipes that call for basic ingredients you probably have in your pantry and refrigerator.

This week is a classic baked bean recipe. Of course, canned beans are the star of show. If you can’t find Great Northern beans, use navy, kidney, pinto, cranberry, or cannellini beans instead. 

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When using canned beans be sure to drain and rinse them prior to use. According to the Canned Food Alliance, draining and rinsing canned food reduces sodium content by up to 41 percent. Interestingly, draining alone results in a 36 percent reduction in sodium.

Beans are a great source of dietary fiber, supplying four to eight grams in every half-cup serving. A serving of today’s baked beans has an impressive 6 grams of fiber. That’s about 20 percent of your daily fiber needs. A fiber-rich diet offers many health benefits – possibly reducing the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

© Darlene Zimmerman Classic Baked Beans

Beans also provide protein, an essential nutrient that is part of every cell in our body and is necessary for building and repairing body tissues. Meat and dairy products provide “complete” proteins, meaning they contain all nine of the essential amino acids (protein building blocks). Most plant sources of protein (nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables, and grains) are considered “incomplete,” meaning they’re missing one or more of the essential amino acids.

As vegetarians know, enjoying a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day can provide all the amino acids your body needs. For example, beans and grains are complementary proteins, meaning one provides the amino acids the other one in missing. Think hummus and pita bread, vegetarian chili and corn bread, or beans and rice.

If you find the meat selection at your grocery store temporarily limited, know that you can get all the protein you need by enjoying a variety of plant foods.

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Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute. For questions about today’s recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Serves:  8 (1/2 cup serving)  /  Prep time: 5 minutes  / Total time:  45 minutes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup diced onion

1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste

⅓ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¾ cup water

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Vegetable oil cooking spray

Place oil in a nonstick skillet and sauté onions over medium heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. To the skillet, add tomato paste, maple syrup, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and water; stir to combine. Add beans and gently stir to combine. Transfer beans to an oven-safe casserole dish coated with cooking spray and bake covered at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove cover, stir and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 8 minutes.

Created and tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD, for Heart Smart®. 

160 calories (11% from fat), 2 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 30 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 179 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 73 mg calcium, 6 grams fiber. Food exchanges:  2 starch, 1 lean meat.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Baked Beans: Classic recipe makes use of pantry ingredients