Chipotle and maple are this glorious flavor combination I only recently discovered. It’s sweet and spicy all at once. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Anthony – beans are healthy for you!” Well, yes, they are, if you make them yourself. If you buy canned beans, even if you rinse them, you are getting a ton of sodium. Plus, we never eat beans by themselves – they always have to be doctored up and the doctoring usually packs on the calories. Now, if you’ve never made beans from scratch before (like me), don’t worry. It really couldn’t be easier. All it takes is a little planning, that’s all!
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DIRECTIONS
The night before, prepare the beans. Check the beans for any misshapen beans, dirt or stones. Then soak the beans in a bowl and cover with cold water, removing any floaters. Use about 3 times as much water than beans.
The next day, rinse the beans in cold water three times. Then place in a saucepot and cover with cold water to about one inch higher than the beans. DO NOT SALT! Bring water to a boil. Skim the foam off the beans until most of the foam is gone and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 50-60 minutes or until beans are tender. Test 3 beans separately to make sure the entire pot is finished cooking. Drain beans and set aside until you are ready, refrigerating if more than 2 hours.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Deglaze with vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer 10-15 minutes to let the flavors combine and the beans are heated through. Check for seasonings and serve.
Here’s the skinny:
First, I made the beans from scratch, saving an astronomical amount of sodium. I cut out even more sodium by using reduced sodium worchestershire sauce.
Instead of maple syrup, I used a combination of agave nectar and maple extract. Maple syrup is higher than agave nectar on the glycemic index, meaning your blood sugar doesn’t spike as much. You still get the sweetness from the agave but I get the maple flavor from the extract. Extracts are a great way to impart flavor with no extra fat, sugar or calories.
Lastly, I cut out fat by using cooking spray instead of oil.
CALORIES SAVED: 223
FAT SAVED: 14g
SATURATED FAT SAVED: 1g
SODIUM SAVED: 2601g
SUGAR SAVED (all lower glycemic as well): 16g
