So, the last state our family visited on our Northeast U.S. tour this past summer was beautiful Massachusetts. This state is known for a number of famous dishes, like New England Clam Chowder, Boston Cream Pie, various cranberry dishes, and, of course, the baked navy bean. Which brings us to our next Instant Pot® (IP) vegetarian (sorry – no bacon in this one!) recipe: Boston Baked Beans. (You don’t believe that this dish is infamous in this state? – one of Massachusetts’ nicknames is the ‘Baked Bean State!’) Hope you enjoy this satisfying dish.
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
1 pound dried navy beans
64 fluid ounces of water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
10 fluid ounces water
10 fluid ounces vegetable broth
½ cup molasses
½ cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Rinse beans in a colander and sort through the beans to remove any debris.
2. *Quick soak the beans:
Place the beans in the IP and cover with 8 cups water.
Set IP to 2 minutes Manual High Pressure.
After the cook cycle is over, let the pressure naturally release.
Drain and rinse the beans; discard the soaking liquid.
3. Rinse and wipe down the IP pot.
4. Place the IP pot back in the IP and set to Sauté.
5. Heat up olive oil for 1 minute.
6. Add in the onion and cook until they just start to caramelize (scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot as the onions cook).
7. Pour in water, broth molasses, ketchup, maple syrup, dry mustard, salt and pepper to the onions in the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the soaked beans.
8. Press Keep Warm/Cancel, and then set the IP to Manual, High Pressure, for 35 minutes.
9. When cook cycle is over, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then carefully release the remaining pressure. Taste a few beans to see if they’re tender. If not, pressure cook them for a few minutes longer.
10. Remove lid, and set IP to Sauté and simmer beans uncovered, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn, until the sauce is the desired consistency. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
*Feel free to soak your beans overnight instead! (if you do this, please get rid of whatever liquid that remains after the soak before continuing on with the baked bean recipe)
These beans are a lovely side dish, and, on vegetarian nights, we’ll serve it alongside a soy hotdog on a whole grain bun, or a grilled cheese on whole grain bread. Additionally, we’ll serve a simple salad, or some fresh and/or grilled/roasted vegetables.
Although it is important to only consume our Nutritionally-Highlighted ingredient in moderation, I thought it’d be neat to talk a little bit about the nutritional benefits of . . .
MOLASSES
Molasses contains:
Calcium: helps blood movement within the blood vessels of the body, important for proper muscle and nerve function, is integral in the release of certain hormones and enzymes, and is necessary for bone (including teeth) strength
Iron: used to make hemoglobin and myoglobin which are critical for oxygen transport throughout the body; also required for many hormones and the structure of our connective tissue
Magnesium: helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and is involved in bone, DNA and protein synthesis
Potassium: helps maintain proper blood pressure and fluid balance, lowers risk for kidney stones and is associated with increased bone mineral density
So, that’s all for now. Please feel free to ask questions about my experience with the IP, Weekday Vegetarianism, molasses, general nutrition or whatever! See you next time!
References:
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-blackstrap-molasses#2
2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/
3. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/
4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/
5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/
Disclaimer:
Any content you find on Sunny Seeds Nutrition Blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.
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