The beans in this dish are native to North America, but baked beans in some form are served all over the world. We most probably borrowed the recipe for this version (beans in tomato sauce) from our friends in England a couple hundred years ago. Baked beans are usually prepared with high amounts of sugar and salt, but other than that are generally good for you. By using a sugar-free, low-fat barbecue sauce as a base, there was some room in the calorie budget for low-fat bacon. If you prefer a more Southern taste, try substituting 1/2 cup canned, drained collard greens for the kale.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1/2 cup Pour-It-On Barbecue Sauce (page 209)

　　1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

　　1/3 cut small white onion, grated

　　3 tablespoons real bacon bits, such as Hormel Real Bacon Bits

　　1 cup cannellini beans, drained

　　1 cup fresh kale, cleaned and roughly chopped

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the barbecue sauce with the dry mustard, onion, bacon bits, beans, and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the beans for 10 minutes, or until the kale is tender, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly and the beans should be very tender. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

　　

healthy tips

Step 2

Eat more kale! It has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable and is loaded with anti-cancer phytochemicals, calcium, B vitamins, and fiber. It’s easier to prepare than you might think. (Just be sure to wash it well first and to remove the fibrous center rib.) Try it raw—shredded in salads—or cooked. I like it roughly chopped and sautéed with garlic and a little olive oil, or braised in chicken broth, or even roasted: toss it with a little olive oil or toasted sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a single layer in a shallow baking pan at 500 degrees until the edges are starting to brown and turn crispy and the centers are slightly wilted.

　　

nutritional information

Step 3

Fat: 3.5g (before), 1.6g (after)

　　

Step 4

Calories: 250 (before), 113 (after)

　　

Step 5

Protein: 7g

　　

Step 6

Carbohydrates: 18g

　　

Step 7

Cholesterol: 4mg

　　

Step 8

Fiber: 4g

　　

Step 9

Sodium: 570mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.