Molasses Baked Beans Recipe

This is the easiest Molasses Baked Beans recipe you will ever make because you let it cook all day long in the slow cooker.  It is amazing eaten straight or served over organic brown rice.

SLOW COOKER MOLASSES BAKED BEANS

Source of Inspiration: The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb dry canario or white beans – pea, navy, cannellini (not canned)

2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

5.5 oz canned tomato paste

3/4 c Ketchup (or make your own)

3/4 c dark, unsulfured blackstrap molasses

4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press

1/4 cup dark agave nectar (the dark is better to use than the light) or honey

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

*Optional: 1 package lean turkey bacon or center cut bacon, cooked & crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Place beans in a large soup pot or sauce pan and cover with at least 4 inches of water.  Soak overnight to help get the “gassiness” out 🙂  The next day, drain the beans and cover with clean, fresh water plus a bit of sea salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse.

2.  Place the cooked beans in the slow cooker.  Add at least 6 cups of water, completely covering the beans.  Place of low (long cook) setting and cook for 10 hours.  The beans are ready when the skins split.  Scoop out 2 cups of the cooking liquid and set aside.  Discard the rest of the liquid and return the beans to the crock pot.

3.  In a medium skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add onion and garlic.  Reduce heat and sauté until soft.  Add to beans in the slow cooker.

4.  In a small bowl combine tomato paste, ketchup, molasses, agave nectar, mustard, sea salt and black pepper.  Add reserved 2 cups bean-cooking liquid.  Mix well.  Pour over bean/onion mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Stir in crumbled bacon reserving a little to sprinkle on top if desired.

Makes 20 servings, 1/2 cup each, 3 points+ each

Nutritional Information for each 1/2 cup serving (excluding bacon):

Calories 96, Fat 1.7g, Sodium 282 mg, Carbs 19.2 g, Protein 2.1g, Dietary Fiber 1.7g, Sugar 14.4 g

These beans are vegetarian and VEGAN if using agave versus honey & omit the bacon.

I used the Canario Beans I bought at the Farmer’s Market.  They start out as yellow and turn into brown pinto colored beans ~ fun!  I let them soak during the day on Saturday, cooked the beans overnight and made the “baked part” on Sunday.

These beans make the perfect meal served over organic brown rice.  You can take a short cut on the rice and use Trader Joe’s Frozen Organic Brown Rice.  It cooks in 3 minutes!

Enjoy!