Apple Cider Honey Black Beans
Baked beans are a must at any summer barbecue as they go well with any grilled protein. Beans are prized for their high protein and fiber content, but many canned baked beans are also high in sodium and sugar, which can offset some health benefits. This homemade version uses honey and apple cider as natural sweeteners. Adding bacon gives this recipe a wonderful salty flavor to complement the sweetness. 
While using canned beans will save a few steps to this recipe, some benefits to starting with dried beans are worth mentioning. Dried beans are more nutritionally dense and contain more protein, fiber, iron, potassium, and magnesium and much less sodium than canned beans. They also taste better and are very budget-friendly when making a big pot of beans. Soaking the dried beans overnight will help shorten the cooking time and aids in digestion by preventing some of the unpleasant digestive side effects.
Apple Cider Honey Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans or white navy beans
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2-3 cups sugar-free apple cider
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar , more to taste
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoon coarse ground Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- 6 strips cooked sugar-free bacon (or bacon substitute)
Instructions
- Place dried beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak on the counter overnight or for at least 10 hours. Drain.
- Cook the beans by placing them in a large pot of boiling water on the stove. Simmer for 45-60 minutes or until tender.
- While the beans are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large ceramic pot on medium heat, then add the chopped onion and let it cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the beans and bacon, and stir to incorporate well.
- Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and add it to the pot along with the beans. Stir together and let simmer on low for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Add small amounts of apple cider as needed while cooking to achieve desired sauce consistency.
Nutrition
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