It’s very easy to buy a tin of baked beans but they are high in salt and sugar, and it doesn’t take much effort to make your own healthy and tasty beans. This recipe makes savory English-style baked beans, rather than the sweet version that is often favored in the US.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin of beans (canellini, pinto, haricot)
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard
  • tomato passata
  • apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

  1. Drain the beans and place in small saucepan
  2. Finely chop the spring onions and add to beans
  3. Add enough tomato passata to just cover the beans
  4. Mix in the paprika and mustard
  5. Add enough hot water to produce a thick sauce
  6. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, adding water if needed
  7. Add a generous splash of apple cider vinegar and the sea salt
  8. Simmer for another 5 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning.

Serves 2

Of course, to make this an even healthier option you could buy dried beans, soak for 8 hours and then simmer for around an hour. A good tip is to cook up a batch of beans every few days so that you always have a ready supply.

Nutrition Fact: beans are full of soluble fiber that makes them good for controlling blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol. Did you know that refined sugar is the leading cause of obesity and is also linked to cancer and heart disease?