Beating high blood pressure with baked beans

Baked beans are a perfect cold-weather food. Here is information why it is so good and so good for you and a recipe to help you make your own.

This dish is far lower in sodium than the usual baked beans, making it perfectly appropriate for people with high blood pressure. By using turkey bacon for the meat instead of salt pork or bacon, you substantially cut the calories. All dried beans require soaking — either quick soaking (an hour) or long soaking (at least 6 hours). Longer soaking time helps eliminate more of their gas-producing sugars, cutting down on flatulence. Each serving provides will provide:

• 210 Calories
• 10 Calories from Fat
• 2 g Fat
• 0 g Saturated Fat
• 0 g Trans Fat
• 10 g Protein
• 42 g Carb
• 10 g Fibre
• 35 mg Sodium
• 4 mg Vitamin C
• 73 mg Magnesium
• 708 mg Potassium
• 107 mg Calcium

• 375 g (1 1/2 c) dried navy beans, rinsed, drained and picked over
• Salt to taste
• 2 slices reduced-sodium turkey bacon, cut crosswise in half
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 50 g (1/4 c) packed light brown sugar
• 50 ml (1/4 c) reduced-sodium chili sauce or ketchup
• 50 ml (1/4 c) light molasses
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) dry mustard
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) black pepper

Preparation time 15 minutes plus soaking

Cooking time 2 hours

1. Put beans in a large pot, cover with water by 5 centimetres (2 inches) and bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans and rinse with cold water. Return to pot.
2. Pour in enough fresh water to cover beans by 5 centimetres (2 inches). Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours, adding hot water, if necessary, to keep beans covered by 5 centimetres (2 inches).
3. Drain beans, reserving 375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) cooking liquid. Transfer beans and liquid to a 2-litre (2-quart) casserole.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Coat a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crisp. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain; crumble. Sauté onion in pan drippings until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to casserole.
5. Stir brown sugar, chili sauce, molasses, dry mustard, pepper and half of bacon into beans. Sprinkle remaining bacon on top. Cover and bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes, stirring once.

• Serve this side dish with barbecued chicken, mixed vegetables and a salad with an olive oil vinaigrette.

Serves 8

This side dish is so rich in vitamins and hypertension fighting benefits that it is becoming a popular health choice around the world.