Slow Cooked Homemade Baked Beans!

Baked beans are such a great comfort food and we love them in this house. It was another food that I found I missed when going sugar free. Then I started reading other sugar free recipes and I came across great baked bean recipes. So this is my take on homemade baked beans. They don’t taste much like the ones out of the tins but I think they are just as good, if not better.

This recipe contains, of course, tomatoes which are a nutrient dense fruit, in fact they are top of the fruit tree in terms of nutrition. They beat all the other fruits hands down. We should all be eating more of them especially the home grown type.

Onions are another great vegetable that is found in this recipe. They are also a nutrient dense food that is high in vitamins and minerals. Consuming onions can lower the risk of several types of cancer, improve mood and maintain the health of skin and hair.

Another great ingredient in this recipe is carrots. They provide good amounts of minerals and vitamins. Carrots include reduced cholesterol, prevention from heart attacks, warding off of certain cancers, improving vision and reducing signs of premature aging. Also carrots have the ability to increase the health of your skin, boost the immune system and improve digestion.

One of the final ingredients in this recipe is celery. People associate celery as a low fat snack but celery is in fact great for the digestive tract and cardiovascular system. The seeds of the plant are commonly used in medicine to help relieve pain.

Brown rice flour has been used in this recipe to thicken the baked bean sauce and to make the recipe gluten free. Once again brown rice is high in essential vitamins and minerals like selenium and manganese. It is also rich in naturally occurring oils that are beneficial for the body as they are helpful fats that normalize cholesterol levels.

The final ingredient is smoked paprika which contains several great nutrients. It is rich in vitamins C and carotenoids which provide a variety of health and beauty benefits. Paprika can lighten the complexion, helps with anti-aging and can also help you to have glowing skin.

Serves 4

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Slow cooker or sauce pan
• Tablespoon
• Teaspoon
• Food processor or stick blender
• Wooden spoon
• Jug for stock

Ingredients

• Tomatoes x 2 tin 400g
• Onions x 1 medium
• Carrots x 2 medium
• Celery x 2 sticks including the leaves
• Brown rice flour x 4 tbsp
• Smoked paprika
• Chicken or vegetable stock x 250ml (Please see http://www.alexisrealfoodwagon.com for more details).
• Haricot beans x 2 tins 400g

Method for slow cooker

• Start by chopping all the ingredients into small pieces and put them in the slow cooker.
• Next add the chicken or vegetable stock to the slow cooker.
• Turn the slow cooker on high for two hours and low for four hours.
• When the vegetables have become nice and soft, turn the cooker off and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
• Place the cooled vegetables and stock in the food processor or use a stick blender and blend all the ingredients together until it becomes smooth.
• Then add the brown rice flour and smoked paprika and blend again.
• Pour the smooth mixture back into the slow cooker, if using a food processor.
• Finally add the haricot beans and turn the slow cooker back on to a high heat for two hours or a low heat for four hours.
• Then serve when you are ready to.

Method for the hob.

• Start by chopping all the ingredients into small pieces.
• Next put the saucepan on a medium heat, put a small amount of oil, (I use coconut oil) in the pan.
• When hot enough add the chopped vegetables to the saucepan.
• Fry these for a good 5 – 10 mins until the vegetables are very soft.
• Add the tomatoes and chicken or vegetable stock.
• Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat.
• Leave to simmer for a good forty minutes.
• Turn the heat off and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
• Place the cooled vegetables and stock in the food processor or use a stick blender and blend all the ingredients together until it becomes smooth.
• Then add the brown rice flour and smoked paprika and blend again.
• Pour the smooth mixture back into the slow cooker, if using a food processor.
• Finally add the haricot beans and turn the slow cooker back on to a high heat for two hours or a low heat for four hours.
• Then serve when you are ready to.

These homemade baked beans are packed full of goodness that you and your families need to power you through the day. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals and so much better for you than the ones from the tins. The beans are very versatile and make a good addition to any kids meal too. The best thing about them is you can make a large batch of them and freeze them. A delicious alternative, enjoy!