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!
So I just caught up on all my blogging now since sleeping in all day (ew being sick), but your strawberry maple leaf is SO ADORABLE!! haha too cute.
I love the flavor of maple with beans! Adding cranberries is genius! So colorful and bright. Nothing like a good batch of baked beans.
I love baked beans. Other people always seem to serve them mixed with bacon ..ack! You really make me contemplate going back to my vegan way of living. Part of the reason I started eating organic poultry and dairy was to make it easier to cohabitate with a carnivore. But, your recipes may not leave him missing meat.
Happy Canada day! : )
MAPLE SYRUP! I don’t believe I’ve ever had REAL maple syrup – that makes me sad :( Have you ever heard of a podcast called “The Sporkful”? It’s a food podcast about these two guys who are seriously obsessed with food and are constantly coming up with new ways and better ways to eat it, with a theme per episode – it’s probably not really for you (not much healthy topics, meat, etc) but for their Poutine/Canada Day episode, they mentioned that one of the guys tried to bring back maple butter from Quebec, but the jar was too big. He ended up stuffing it into a allergy medication bottle and giving the rest to some guy who was helping him scheme.
Man. I want to try maple butter so bad.
Wei-Wei
Baked beans! One of my all time favorite foods! While a New Yorker now, I grew up in the Midwest (US) where baked beans always included pork. This is a great vegan version!
Hum, maple butter… I haven’t bought a jar in ages. It goes by to quickly if I keep it in my fridge (one tiny spoonful, and another, and another, and oups!) I prefer maple toffee though, decadent on toast in the morning (yes, I like sugary breakfast ;) )!
I thought I was the only one to dress in my work-out clothes as a way to motivate me. Once, I put on my clothes, went to the gym, sat 5 minutes in the locker room and then decided it wasn’t going to work! At least I had try! :) It usually works great though!
I seriously don’t know what I would do without your website for inspiration every morning, thanks for taking the time and keeping the rest of us on track. I wanted to thank you for your rec on the juicer. I ordered it a few days ago and expect it any day now! yummm yummmm. Also you inspired me to start a “things I’ll do in my 40th year” list. Kind of like a bucket list. I turn 40 on the 23rd and am very excited. so far I have: 1. start juicing again, 2. try hot yoga, 3. find a local tri club (i moved 3 yrs ago and miss my old one like crazy), and 4. host a Sun brunch for all of my girlfriends. So far the juicer is ordered and I’m off to my 1st hot yoga class. And i haven’t even turned 40 yet!! thanks again!!
ANgela, those beans sound FANTASTIC! Since picking up The Kind Diet a few weeks ago, I’m eating about 80% vegan now. I have to tell you that you are part of the inspiration for it. Thanks for sharing all that you do!!!
HOW did I miss this post last week?!?!! If I had seen it, I could have made these this weekend. Baked beans were my ALL TIME favorite food as a kid and I still love them to this day. I must limit myself to eating them only a few times a month because the canned versions are loaded with sugar. But now I can make my own!!! I must say that I have thought of it before, but never took the time to find a vegan receipe. Thank you for giving me one! Making them tomorrow night… cannot wait!
Angela
Do you have any tips for making these in the oven. Ie how long and what temparature? i keep staring at the recipe and thinking, “Yum.” But, I dont’ have a slow cooker.
hope your yogathon makes your body feel better.
Natalie
I’ve made them on the stovetop before and it worked fine. I just cooked them on low (not sure how long for)…until I deemed it long enough I guess!
Can you freeze baked beans and reheat later? Do they get too mushy from freezing?
Hey Hana, Im sorry but I haven’t tried freezing baked beans before. I would try a search online as Im sure others may have tried it out.
I freeze baked beans all the time and they’re delicious. I love my beans with fried potatoes or home fries. 😄
These beans were great, a little sweet, i think i put in too much sweet onion, but the best baked beans I’ve made. Thanks for the great recipe!
These look really good! If cooking on stovetop or in the oven, what temp and how long do you recommend? I will be using canned beans if it makes a difference on cooking time…thanks! By the way…my family loves your maple baked lentils recipe, so want to try these next!
I made these on the stove top and used canned beans. I let them cook and simmer for about 2 hours and they were delish! LOVED the wet mixture. Sweet without being cloying and wonderfully dark brown. I used mixed beans and white beans. Thanks for the inspiration! Can’t wait to get your book (ordered it back in November!).
I have made this a few times now and it is a FANTASTIC recipe. I added fresh garlic and whole grain Dijon mustard instead of regular mustard and cut it down by about 1/2 a tbsp. Added lots more maple syrup (I’m Canadian I had to!) And a bit more molasses and tomatoes. I’m making some more this afternoon! Thanks so much for posting as I would have never made it otherwise! YUM!
Angela – made this baked beans this afternoon, and they are fantastic! I made only minor changes – your recipe is fantastic :) Baked beans have always been a favorite of mine, and I love that I can now make them myself and know exactly what is inside. Thank you!
I have been trying to make vegan baked beans from dried beans for about 2 years and I haven’t like any recipe I’ve tried. We like the canned vegetarian baked beans but I want to make them better/healthier, in other words, homemade. I will be trying this recipe next!
Hi I’m confused. I just soaked my beans. Do thy need to be cooked before being cooked in the slow cooker??
This is now a new family favorite!
I don’t like using canned beans. Is there a difference if I cook them?