Holiday Baked Beans

Your favorite side dish gets a festive facelift.

W

ith New Year’s just around
the corner and your home
brimming with loved
ones, there’s no time
to waste on menu
planning. Are you
looking for a deli-
cious yet exciting side
dish that your guests
will truly appreciate?
Stacy Goldberg This season, center
Columnist
your holiday meal on
this festive and hearty
baked bean recipe.
Throughout the years, baked beans
have been an integral part of the
American culture. These beans have
accompanied millions of Americans
on holidays, birthdays and so many
more celebrations. Whether we’re
talking about kidney beans, pinto
beans, lima beans, black beans or
navy beans, the health benefits are
consistent throughout all types,
shapes and sizes of these nutritional
powerhouses. With a trivial price tag
and a bold flavor, beans deserve a
spot on your holiday menu this year.
These mighty legumes are a won-
derful source of long-lasting energy
as they are low in sodium and high
in protein, iron, calcium, potassium,
folic acid and, most importantly, fiber.
Fiber is found in plant foods, but,
unlike other carbohydrates, it cannot
be readily digested in the small intes-
tine.
There are two types of fiber that
our bodies can benefit from: soluble
and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dis-
solves in water and forms a thick gel

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in our stomach. This gel helps with
keeping blood sugar in check, lower-
ing “bad” cholesterol levels (LDL) in
the blood and slowing down diges-
tion. Food sources include beans,
peas, fruits, vegetables, oats, nuts and
seeds.
On the other hand, insoluble fiber
does not dissolve in water. It passes
through the gut intact, which allows
it to provide bulk for stool forma-
tion. This type of fiber also prevents
constipation by speeding up nutrient
transit through the digestive system.
Food sources include: fruits, vegeta-
bles, nuts, seeds, wheat bran, brown
rice, whole grain breads, cereals and
pasta.
Both soluble and insoluble fiber
increase feelings of satiety so one feels
satisfied and full for longer periods
of time.
Below is an example of the substan-
tial amount of fiber one can get from
only one cup of cooked beans:

Black beans, cooked:
15 grams of fiber per cup

Chickpeas, cooked:
12.5 grams of fiber per cup

White beans, cooked:
11.3 grams of fiber per cup

Fava beans, cooked:
9.2 grams of fiber per cup

Lima beans, cooked:
9.2 grams of fiber per cup

The Institute of Medicine recom-
mends an intake of 38 grams of fiber
per day for men (age 14-50 years), 25

grams per day for women (age 19-50
years), 19 grams per day for children
age 1-3 years and 25 grams per day
for children age 4-8 years. However, a
majority of the American population
only ingests around 15 grams of fiber
per day.
Not to worry, as we are sharing this
Best Baked Beans recipe packed with
veggies to lock in your daily dose of
fiber this holiday season. ■

Stacy Goldberg is a nationally recognized
nutritional consultant, registered nurse and
the CEO of Savorfull (savorfull.com), a Detroit-
based company that sources healthy, aller-
gen-friendly foods and provides nutrition-con-
sulting. Savorfull is part of the Quicken Loans
Family of Companies.

THE BEST BAKED BEANS
1 cup sweet onion, diced
1 cup Swiss chard
½ cup celery, sliced
¼ cup cranberries, natural or dried
¼ cup pecans
½ cup fresh tomatoes
1 medium sweet potato, cut into
thick rounds
½ cup carrots, cut in half and sliced
1 can baked beans
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. fresh tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp. natural organic maple syrup
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. ginger
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. rosemary
2 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil
Fresh basil for serving
2 tsp. pickled chopped jalapeño
peppers for serving

Saute the onions and celery in olive
or coconut oil for 5 minutes.
Add all the ingredients together in
an oven-safe tin and cook for 30-35
minutes at 350°F or until the sauce
has thickened and is bubbly.
Top off the beans with fresh basil
and pickled jalapeño peppers.
Dig in!

NO INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH STACY GOLDBERG/SAVORFULL IS INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR
OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATION OR NUTRITIONAL, HERBAL OR HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLEMENT, OR ADOPTING ANY TREATMENT OR IMPLEMENTING NUTRITIONAL
ADVICE FOR A HEALTH PROBLEM.

health

STACY’S HEALTHY HACKS

• Canned beans are a convenient option but be sure to compare labels for sodium content
as they are often packed with salt. Many brands offer low-sodium beans (less than 140 milli-
grams of sodium) or beans with no added salt.
• Drain canned beans in a strainer and rinse them under running water. This process can be
very efficient at lowering the sodium content of the beans even further.
• Dried beans are a great option as they can last up to a year if placed in a closed container
in a cool, dark space.
• Always remember to soak your dried beans in water the night before you want to cook
them. This will ease and speed up the cooking process tremendously.
• Forgot to soak your beans? You can use a process called quick-soaking. Just place beans
in a pot filled with water, let it boil, cover it and turn off the heat. Let the pot sit for at least a
half an hour and you’re all set.
• Top your dish off with roasted crunchy lentils, chickpeas or your favorite nut and seed mix.
Not only will you get a surprise crunch element with every bite, but you’ll also be benefiting
from extra protein, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
• Try to incorporate beans into your snacking habits, and not just your meals. Here are some
simple ways: Swap out regular chips for protein-packed bean chips; pack black bean jerky
sticks for your next skiing adventure; and keep a bag of your favorite roasted BBQ bean
crisps in the glove compartment of your car for when hunger strikes during rush hour.