FAMILY DELIGHT BEAUTIFUL BAKED BEANS: frugal, high fibre, low-sugar, versatile

Baked beans cooked from scratch are a revelation...they're low in added sugar and are very tasty

updated 10/24; first posted 2016 as Beautiful Baked Beans; 

 Nearly Sugar-free Baked Beans, from Scratch
'Better than you-know-who's and better for you!' Taster

    

Baked beans from dry instead of from tins saves money, provides high grade plant protein with little effort, use time productively and is a base for a variety of  savoury comforting food. 

Dried beans and pulses require soaking overnight. They also need boiling and draining.  Twice.  But you can get on with other things during these stages. 

The results - tender beans with just a touch of resistance - are lovely.  The Beans absorb the juices they're cooked in and unlike tinned versions, levels of sugar are almost Nil. What's not to like?

Boston Baked Beans - sweet & salty with an undercurrent of heat - are a classic American dish.  67's version makes it more tomato-y and moderates the heat.  The base recipe is Vegan but there's a variation for carnivores and a less spicy kids' version that is also a little sweeter without adding sugar.   

The beans freeze well.

Cost: £3-4, more for carnivores (cut costs by making your own sun-blush tomato bombs)  
Feeds: 6-8

Ingred:
   450 gm/16 oz dried haricot beans (the best you can afford)
   2 cloves garlic, grated or minced (opt) 
   1 lge onion, thinly sliced (opt) OR bulb of fennel
   1 small red chilli, deseeded and cut into fine strips OR 1/3 tsp chilli flakes 
   1 bay leaf
   2-3 tbsp molasses or black treacle
   2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup
   1 tsp dry mustard OR 1.5 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
   1/2 tsp dried ginger or 2-3 med slices of fresh ginger 
   1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   1/3 tsp salt
   350 gm sun-blush tomatoes (sun-dried will be too salty) (Make your own sun blush toms) 
    
Carnivore version:
    350 gm/12 oz shredded cooked ham hock (Frugal Food: Ham Hock) or for those without cholesterol issues raw unsmoked back bacon OR pastrami or salt beef
   
Kids' version:
   No chilli or ginger and only half the mustard; unsweetened tomato juice (opt)

Method:

1. Soak beans overnight
2. Drain; put beans in a large pan and cover with 3 pints water; bring to boil; simmer 2 mins; drain & return to pan
3. Add garlic & onion if using, chili & bay leaf to beans.  Add 3 pints/1.5 litre water; bring to the boil; reduce heat to medium, cover, cook gently until beans are tender, 45 mins - 1 hour 
4. Drain in a sieve, reserving liquid  
5. Measure 1 pint liquid and stir in molasses, ketchup, mustard, ginger, Worcestershire sauce and salt.  Add to beans.
6. Cut sunblush tomatoes into halves or thirds OR chop coarsely; stir into beans  
7. This is your base; divide according to the number of carnivores and vegetarians and proceed as below. 
8. Preheat oven to 40 f, 200c, 180 fan; gas 6.  The full recipe will bake in a 4-pint/ 2.25  litre baking dish. Adjust cooking vessel/s according to proportion of carnivores and vegetarians.  Cover dish/es and bake for 1-1.5  hours or until beans have absorbed sauce and are tender 
9. Slow Cooker: 5-7 hours on low; check level of liquid after 4 hours.  When beans are tender with just a bit of resistance, check seasoning.  
10. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving

Carnivores: Before baking:

     If using shredded ham hock, bury in the body of the beans along with the bone from the knuckle 

    If using raw bacon, separate pieces and scatter; push below surface of beans

    If using pastrami or salt beef, shred and push below surface of beans

Kids: 
    Half an hour before end of cooking, add sliced cooked sausages or vegetarian frankfurters (Tivali are great); if not sweet enough for the kids' palates, add 1/4-1/2 mug tomato juice

Comment:
'The beans were a great winter warmer and the little bit of spice livened it up.  It felt like guilt-free comfort food.' 20+ fund-raiser
'Better than you-know-who's and better for you!' Retired writer

Tips:
Remember: beans need to be teamed with wheat, rice, cheese, eggs or animal protein  to provide all essential amino acids

Serving Suggestions:

• succulent casserole for an informal party
• with crusty bread & salad for supper
• on wholemeal toast, sprinkled with cheese for a light supper
• as part of an English breakfast
• with poached eggs for brunch
• on wholemeal toast for brekkie
• cold from the fridge, eaten with a spoon after the pub

                                                            

                                                      More triple duty dishes, use 67 search function...

Please make a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

STRAWBERRY LIME CORDIAL: fresh fruit, optional alcohol, low sugar, easy, prep ahead

Lively strawberry lime fizz, a gorgeously fruity thirst quencher perfect for a heatwave...

Strawberries with a hint of lime...add fizzy water or champers, white wine or grape juice. '...a wonderful pick-me-up when lying in bed with 'flu' 

Looking for another recipe to enjoy all the gorgeous ruby red strawberries on offer everywhere?  

They're at their peak as we head up to Wimbledon season, and tons of them will be served there sprinkled with a bit of sugar and loaded with double or clotted cream. 

Or there's always Eton Mess, the classic mix of strawberries, cream and crushed macaroons.  Or 67goingon50's non-traditional but highly desireable Strawberries 'n Cream with Sweet Ginger. 

Strawberry Lime Cordial is another 67 twist on the delicious fruit.

Pureed strawberries with a hint of lime form a thick cordial which is topped up with ice and fizzy water or champagne or white wine or white grape juice.

It's designed to appeal to tee-totallers and kids as well as drinkers. 

Whatever your choice, it's a gorgeous colour and has great strawberry flavour with a kick  of lime.  It's ever-so-refreshing in a heatwave.

67goingon50 liked it without any sugar at all, but adding a bit of sugar or maple syrup may heighten the pleasure for kids and others.

Easy to make, it's prepped in advance.

Cost: depending on berries, maybe £4.00 not including alcohol (6/23)

Makes: maybe 6-8 glasses; recipe doubles easily   

Ingredients:

300gm/10.5oz ripe strawberries, green removed

zest & flesh of two limes

1/2 cup boiling water

2-3 tbsp maple syrup (opt)

one star anise (opt)

Method:

1. Zest the limes, remove the white pith from the flesh and add with star anise (optional) in a heat-proof bowl; pour over boiling water; steep 20 mins
2. Remove star anise; set aside
3. Add a handful of strawberries; whizz to a very fine pulp
4. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl; pour in pulp, pressing the flat of a spatula against the mesh to extract all the liquid
5. Cover and chill 24 hours
6. When ready to serve, process the rest of the strawberries and repeat instruction 4. 
7. Mix with lime puree.
8. Pour cordial into a jug; add the star anise, a few halved berries and a slice or two of lime for decoration
9. Mix one part cocktail with 1 1/2 parts champagne or other alcohol, prosecco or fizzy water

Comment: 'I really liked this, especially the slight tartness.  Of the varieties I tested, the  sugar-free version was my favourite but add sugar or maple syrup depending on your taste.'  Retired writer

                    Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

PENSIONERS' DELIGHT: £4 COUPLE'S MEAL, 3-COURSE SPICY CHINESE PORK SHOULDER , prepare ahead

£4 Easy tasty meal for 2: main course, carb & salad 

Couple's spicy, succulent Asian spiced pork steaks with potatoes & salad
'Hurrah!  Meat & two veg and no gloopy teeth jarring sauce.' 

These low-fat, low-sugar pork shoulder steaks are perfect for pensioners, a small household or cost-conscious family.  

They're easily prepped ahead, then slipped onto the barbie or in an oven or air fryer. 

67 only had new potatoes to hand; they were cooked al dente and fried till golden in a pan generously sprayed with oil (as in photo above).  Lower-fat options are ultra-crispy, steaming Uber baked potatoes (baked with the meat) OR super-easy 5-minute Asian noodles.   

A simple frugal salad refreshes and satisfies.  

Poaching the meat beforehand helps tenderise the meat and reduces fat.  After marinading, it's succulent, subtly flavoured with Asian spices but without a gloopy, teeth-jarring sauce.  

Note: The pork steaks in the packet* were almost like fillet steaks,  well over an inch thick.  Most pork steaks are about a third that size and will likely require less baking time.

 
Feeds: 2, easily multiplied
Cost:  £4 for 3 courses  (2xPork shoulder steaks £1.50; 2 x baked potatoes £1 - or less; sauce 50p; salad 50p)

Ingred:

2 pork steaks  

1.5 tbsp dry sherry/white wine/grape juice

1.5 tbsp reduced-salt (not low-salt) soy sauce (if there are salt or blood-pressure issues, replace half the soy sauce with water or stock)

pinch sugar

med clove garlic, grated or minced

generous pinch each dried cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves OR rounded 1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

rounded 1/8 tsp salt

1 generous tsp Dijon or other mild mustard

Method: 

BEST BAKED BEANS ON A BUDGET AND LOW-SUGAR, TOO! Triple Duty: vegan, vegetarian, carnivores

Totally worth the (small) effort... 

Home-made baked beans are a revelation; they just need a bit of planning

67 knows that you can get a singleton tin of own-brand baked beans for all of 30p.  Depending on the supermarket, they'll be decent and made even better with a shot of mustard, ketchup and a slick of hot sauce.

But honestly, making your own from scratch provides a much better product...and at even less than 30p per serving.  There will almost certainly be leftovers and they freeze well in individual portions.

Kids love home-made baked beans even though - unlike tinned -  levels of sugar are almost Nil.

Given the straightened times we are in, 67 makes no apologies for repeating this post from 2016.

Cooking with dried beans and pulses is simple.  Yes, there is soaking overnight.  Yes, there is boiling and draining.  Twice. 

But the results - tender beans with just a touch of resistance - are worth every minute. The beans absorb the juices they're cooked in and are so tasty and satisfying, you'll cook them again and again.  

Boston Baked Beans - sweet & salty with an undercurrent of heat - are a classic American dish.  67's version makes it more tomato-y and moderates the heat.  The base recipe is Vegan but there's a great variation for carnivores and a less spicy kids' versions that can be sweetened without sugar.   

They're pretty versatile: add vegan cheese or ham/bacon for carnivores.  67's favourite?  Adding thickly sliced vegetarian frankfurters*.

The beans freeze well.

Cost: minimum £2 (cut costs by making your own sun-blush tomato bombs)
Feeds: a crowd; leftovers freeze well

Ingred:
   450 gm/16 oz dried haricot beans (the best you can afford)
   2 cloves garlic, grated 
   1 lge onion, thinly sliced
   1 small red chilli, deseeded & cut into fine strips, or 1/3 tsp chilli flakes 
   1 bay leaf
   2-3 tbsp molasses or black treacle or brown sugar

   2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup
   1 tsp dry mustard or 1.5  tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard

   1/2 tsp dried ginger or 2-3 med slices of fresh ginger 
   1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   1/3 tsp salt
   350 gm sun-blush tomatoes (sun-dried will be too salty) (note: making your own is cheaper than buying)
    
Carnivore version:
    350 gm/12 oz shredded cooked ham hock (Frugal Food: Ham Hock) plus the ham bone OR (for those without cholesterol issues) raw unsmoked back bacon
   
Kids' version:
   No chilli or ginger and only half the mustard

   unsweetened tomato juice (opt)

   generous handful cooked sliced sausages or vegetarian frankfurters* 

Method:

MIDI-CARROT CAKE FOR SMALL HOUSEHOLDS: no butter, dairy free option, low-sugar, high fibre

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Who doesn't love Carrot Cake?

At last! A midi-carrot cake for 2 or 3, as rich and luxuriant as family sized.

'Texture excellent, moist and slightly crumbly; flavour rich and delicious; cream cheese icing lovely.' 'I love carrot cake; yours was one of the best!'

 

A 'healthy-ish' treat that hasn't lost its wicked appeal, carrot cake is immensely gratifying.  Sweetness comes mainly from health-giving carrots; heart-healthy nuts add crunch; wholemeal flour, gut-friendly fibre.  

The cake is dense and rich but not heavy; gorgeous dairy or plant cream cheese is an elegant topping.   

It'a an all-season treat with a healthier vibe and particularly welcome when life is a little fraught.  So it is no surprise that the biggest craving chez 67goingon50 during Lockdown III is for Carrot Cake. 

Singletons/small households are at a disadvantage when it comes to something like carrot cake.  So it was time to create a small one that captures the sublime texture and flavours of the original.  Far from being a lesser version of the original, the midi-carrot cake was sensational -- so much so, 67 likes it better than bakery carrot cakes, some of which can be very moist.  

67 opted for ginger in syrup as the sweet accent but it is a little extravagant.    Feel free to replace ginger with fresh or tinned pineapple or even raisons.

If there is one complaint about this smaller cake, it is that the amount of batter is slightly larger than 67's usual 6inch/15cm (air fryer) midi-cake pan.  But using the excess for cupcakes/muffins that can be frozen (un-iced), means one might never need to look for a bakery with carrot cake again! 

For singleton or small households, it's now possible to have home-made carrot cake and eat it, deliciously, economically and without waste.

Cost: £2.50'ish (2021)
Serves: one 6in/15cm midi-cake and 3 large cupcakes (cooked in muffin - not cupcake -  tins) OR 6 large cupcakes or 10 generous sized cupcakes  

Ingred: 
  70gm/2.4oz light brown sugar  

  10gm/2 generous tsp dried unsweetened coconut 

   80ml light vegetable oil 

   27 ml buttermilk/OR 75% plant or dairy yoghurt, 25% water OR 27ml plant/dairy milk with 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar, rested 10 mins
    1 large egg
    

    3/4 tsp vanilla   

   90gm/3.2ozplain white flour. 

    41gm/1.4oz wholemeal flour. 

    3/4 tsp cinnamon.  
    1/3 tsp nutmeg

    1/2 tsp ground ginger (opt)  
    1/2 tsp baking soda  
    1/3 tsp salt.  
   

    170 gm/6oz carrots, coarsely grated  

    2 large globes ginger in syrup finely diced OR 1/3 mug drained fresh or tinned pineapple wedges, shredded

    2 generous tablespoons chopped walnuts

    2 tbsp ginger syrup or pineapple juice for brushing over top of cake/s (opt)

 Lower fat & sugar Cream Cheese Icing: (Plant or dairy)
    57gm/2oz room-temperature reduced-fat cream cheese  
    20gm/ 3/4 oz thick plain yoghurt

    20gm/ 3/4 oz icing sugar

    few drops vanilla essence 

OR

Dairy-free 'buttercream'

    Garnish: 1 ball ginger in syrup, finely diced OR couple of generous tablespoons shredded pineapple

Method:

BLOGGER'S VEGGIE FAVES: QUICK BREAKFAST BREAD/ROLLS: dairy-free option, low sugar, high protein

Quick Low-Sugar 'Sweet' Breakfast Bread/Rolls

first posted 2019; updated 12/24

Quick Breakfast Bread: moist & naturally sweet, studded with dates & walnut

This wonderful bread, easily transformed into rolls, is best enjoyed on a slow Sunday morning when every delicious mouthful can be properly appreciated.  

But it is so easy to make, it can also be baked on busy mornings. The household can set off having had, or carrying, a gorgeous nutritous breakfast.  

Most of the preparation can be done the night before.  The fruit needs to be soaked in juice or tea overnight and the dry and liquid ingredients can be measured out and set aside for the morning.  Turn on the oven as soon as you're up, work the butter into the flour, add the drained fruit and wet ingredients. Bang it in the oven and 35-40 mins later: a lovely satisfying irresistable loaf.  

If portable rolls are your goal and mornings are always a terrible rush, everything can be done the night before.  The rolls should be  formed and laid out nicely on a tray.  Either bake them immediately, allow them to cool and wrap individually in foil or cling film before refrigerating.   

If you're baking them the next morning cling film the pre-formed rolls on the baking tray and refrigerate.  As soon as you rise, take them out of the fridge and pre-heat the oven. They'll take 20-25 mins.  

Cooled cooked rolls freeze well if stored in a self-sealing bags or an air tight container.

Spelt flour was used in this recipe; wheat or other flour is fine.  

Organic spelt flour* (67 uses Doves) makes a loaf of incomparable tastiness but Waitrose and Marks & Spencer do own-brand spelt flour.  

The recipe was adapted from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network.

Cost: £3.00'ish (12/24) more for vegan dairy products

Makes: 10-12 slices OR 5-7 rolls

1 9 x 4 1/2 inch/22x11 cm loaf tin

Ingred:

   juice of 1/2 orange or 1/2 teacup cold tea

   75 gm/ 2.75  oz coarsely chopped dates or currants

   

   240 gm/ 8.5 oz flour

   1 tbsp sugar

   1/4 tsp salt

   1/2 tsp baking soda

   zest of one orange

   75 gm/ 2 3/4 oz coarsely chopped nuts

   56 gm/2 oz cold unsalted dairy or plant butter

   200 ml cold buttermilk OR 150 ml dairy or plant yoghurt + 50 ml water (pref) OR 200 dairy or plant milk (67 uses almond) + 1 tbsp vinegar 

   1 egg

Method: