Crockpot suppers

I would like to make a healthy bean dish. I would prefer to do it in the crockpot because of work. Do you have any tasty recipes?

Sounds like a great idea for a busy weeknight dinner. I myself don’t cook in crockpots, but I found a great recipe for you that is not only a full meal in itself, but healthful to boot.

This hearty recipe comes from the cookbook Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole, M.S, R.D. , 1994, Rodale Press, Inc. It should meet your time needs and hit the spot on a cold winter evening.

Chef’s note: You not only get a healthful meal with this crockpot recipe, but your house will smell wonderful with the aromas of home cooking.

Crockpot Baked Beans

Here’s a hearty side dish that’s always a favorite at picnics. Calories, fat and cholesterol were reduced by:

* Reducing the amount of ground beef (you could omit it entirely to save even more calories, fat and cholesterol
* Replacing bacon with turkey bacon, reducing the amount used and enhancing the flavor with liquid smoke
* Replacing the ketchup with tomato sauce
* Adding maple flavoring to enhance the perception of sweetness ordinarily contributed by ketchup

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 5 slices turkey bacon, chopped
• 4 ounces ground beef (80% lean)
• 1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian beans in tomato sauce
• 1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian baked beans
• 1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

Lightly spray an unheated medium skillet with no-stick spray. Add the onions and bacon. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until the onions are tender. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onion mixture to a 4- to 6-quart crockpot. Stir in the beans in tomato sauce, baked beans, kidney beans, tomato sauce, brown sugar, liquid smoke and maple flavoring. Cover and cook on the medium-high heat setting for 4 to 6 hours (if necessary, adjust the heat setting so the beans slowly simmer during cooking). Stir before serving.

Makes 10 servings.