Maple Apple Baked Beans

Fall flavor favorites of maple and apple blend with great northern beans to create a unique, crowd-pleasing baked bean dish. Tart Granny Smith apples -- chopped with the skin still on for more fiber and nutrients -- balance the sweet barbecue sauce and maple syrup. Applewood smoked bacon gets the MVP award for this big-batch side dish. Remember the winning strategy for better health: Rinse and drain those canned beans and slash the sodium up to 45 percent.

Makes 15 servings (2/3 cup each)

Ingredients

5 15-ounce cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 1/4 cups chopped Granny Smith apple, unpeeled (2 very large apples)

1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion

1 12-ounce package thick-sliced applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup real maple syrup

2 cups hickory-smoked barbecue sauce

3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish with vegetable spray.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Transfer to a baking dish.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until heated throughout. Stir once during cooking.

Nutrition information (per serving)

292 calories

13 g protein

54 g carbohydrates

3 g fat (1 g saturated)

8 mg cholesterol

440 mg sodium

622 mg potassium

94 mg calcium

2.7 mg iron

211 IU vitamin A

4 mg vitamin C

8 g fiber

Twitter: @ihavenet

MORE RECIPES:   DESSERT | PASTA | SEAFOOD | WOLFGANG PUCK

Recipes

More Recipes

Maple Apple Baked Beans

Copyright © 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.