Good afternoon!
Thanks for the great response to the Glo Canada sale! There is one 25% off coupon left if you still want to get your hands on one.
Last night, I was not feeling motivated to workout. I decided to just put on my workout clothes and see where they would take me!
After a few minutes of sitting at my desk in my workout clothes (ok, ok 30 mins), I decided that it was now or never. I knew I couldn’t eat dinner right before a workout, so I used my delicious slow-cooking dinner as my bait. I figured the quicker I worked out, the quicker I could have dinner.
It was perfect running weather outside. The sky was a crystal blue and the air was crisp and cool. I could smell BBQ’s wafting through the air. To make the run more interesting, I decided to go on a ‘Canada Day Eve Running Tour’ of the neighbourhood. I saw lots of Canada Day flags and lots of cotton-tail bunnies. Before I knew it, I had done 4 miles in about 35 minutes, with a strong, sprinting finish. I felt so good when I got home!
If you feel like skipping a workout, just put on your workout clothes and then decide afterwards! Odds are you will end up doing some type of activity.
Oh and dinner was sooooo worth the wait! I made one of my favourite Canada Day recipes- Maple Baked Beans. This was my first time making a vegan version and it turned out better than I could have imagined.
Canadian Maple Baked Beans
[Adapted from here]
Ingredients:
- 4.5 cups cooked navy beans (approx. 3 (15-ounce) small cans)
- 1 large sweet onion, diced OR 1-2 green onions (I recommend sweet onions though)
- 3-4 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons regular mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 8 oz/1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- Handful of dried cranberries
- Maple butter, to drizzle overtop OR pure maple syrup
Directions: Rinse and drain navy beans. Slow-cooker method: Add cooked and drained beans into the slow cooker. Chop the onion and place the onion, molasses, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, salt, tomatoes, and cranberries (optional) into the slow cooker and stir well. (Alternatively you can also cook these on the stove top or baked in the oven!). Cook over high heat for about 4-5 hours (however they can be eaten after just a couple hours of cooking), or cook them on the lowest heat setting for 7-8 hours. Make sure to check the beans frequently as I am not sure if this mixture will burn. After scooping into bowls, scoop on a bit of maple butter or drizzle pure maple syrup on top. Serves 3-4.
This has to be one of the easiest recipes out there! Just toss everything in, stir, and cook!
I think it goes without saying that the house smells amazing when this cooks! I used green onions instead of sweet onions because we have a little situation in our house right now…
We are currently being overtaken by green onions thanks to last night’s CSA!
I threw in some dried cranberries at the last minute. I loved the pop of red. They were great and got all juicy and plump after slow-cooking.
I dreamed of this on my run.
I took some maple butter and drizzled it on top.
I LOVED it. Every last bite. Actually, I had another bowl at 10pm last night! The maple butter was amazing on top.
Eric really enjoyed it too. He had the beans stuffed in a bun!
Lots to do to prep for Saturday’s market…..gulp! I will see you Friday AM!
I just made an order , but the coupon did not work :( , the recipe looks yummy
OMG those look incredible! I love anything maple, especially maple sugar candy. I have even been known to dip my finger into metal maple sap pails for a taste (yeah… just tastes like off ice water)!
And that picture of the sun glistening on the steaming bowl of beans is epic.
i am DROOLING over those beans! the only thing that i would like on them is bacon :)
These look great! Wanted to thank you again for the garlic scape pesto recipe – totally less garlicky than my approach. I made yours recently and just raved about it on my blog, along with some other blogger recipes which I linked to. For the sweet part of my roundup of latest favorites, I had to post about banana soft serve, which I discovered thanks to you and Gena – I also finally layered some VOO and I can totally see why you rave about the parfaits. So delicious. Thanks again for always posting such great recipes :)
So glad you enjoyed it!
omw, those beans look AMAZING!! I understand about the workouts! I usually work out on my lunch break and remind myself on those days I don’t want to that it’s either that and the wonderful feeling after, or sitting in the breakroom listening to all the older ladies complain and feeling brought down after…I usually choose the workout! :)
Glad you decided to workout. :)
Wearing workout clothes really does help. Even if I don’t finish a run, I end up walking or moving around anyways.
Those beans look so good. Mmm.
Oh wow – the maple baked beans sound incredible!
Ahh that workout clothes trick wouldn’t work for me – now I’m off for the summer, I literally live in workout style clothes :P
Aah that looks amazing!!
YUM! I bet these are super flavorful and have a wonderful texture especially with the dried cranberries.
I love beans and love anything sweet, so this is a must-try for me! I hope it’s foolproof!
Wow, those pictures are beautiful!
the maple butter was simply a stroke of genius
it is to die for on the beans!
I would never have thought to do it, but I guess that is the whole concept of barbecues etc is to add that sweet flavor
maple butter? who would have thought!? love it!
happy canada day!!!! any fun plans!?
Ohhhh Caaaanada we stand on guard, for, BEANS!!!!!!!! Sending you canada day wishes from the other side of the country :)
i absolutely LOVE your creations…There is not one recipe I do not want to try on your blog, just thought I should tell you! You also inspired me to start mixing my banana soft serve INTO my oats!!! well not mixed it, but plopped right on top and its incredible!!! :)
aww thank you! Do you mix the BSS into hot oats? If so that is amazing!
I will have to try those beans. My boys love beans and I am trying to eat more vegan.
I most definitely put on my workout clothes last night and then proceeded to not workout at all.
lol…its not failproof, ive been there too!
good to know I’m not alone in resisting a workout sometimes!
LOVE those last few pics. The sunlight is beautiful!
Omg I am so doing this!
As soon as I get back home, I’ll get some maple syrup and cook this for me and my mom! thanks for the recipe!
That looks really good – do the beans go mushy after 8hrs of slow cooking? That’s one reason I haven’t yet gotten a slow cooker – I’m worried about ending up with bean mush for dinner!
I wouldnt say mushy but they do soften and absorb the liquid a bit