Real Food Summer Picnic Series :: Sprouted Baked Beans

I hope everyone’s summer is kicking off to a fun start! I began this real food summer picnic series a couple weeks ago while making potato salad and I’m so excited to share with you how to make baked beans in a real food way so you can enjoy them all summer!

Canned baked beans has nothing on homemade! The flavor will blow you away, and your picnic guests are sure to be asking for the recipe.

My method is not oven baked or in a slow cooker, but rather using a big stock pot to simmer. As much as I love my slow cooker, I just feel you get much more flavor when you slow sauté the onions, garlic, and bacon and then meld the flavors of the rest in a simmer. You can absolutely make it up and then keep it warm in a slow cooker though! And the flavors only enhance over time!

This is such a great one to make up a few days ahead of time for your summer gatherings. It gets one thing out of the way and done for you, and it warms right up in a slow cooker well. This is a nice big batch that would be perfect for a big gathering – OR you can get leftovers into jars in your freezer so you can pull them out on a hot summer day when you don’t want to cook!

One note on sprouting the beans! If you are “not there yet” – I would much rather see you just use the beans without sprouting them, and still make your own, instead of just buying a can of baked beans. I’m all about baby steps. Just keep in mind the nourishing benefits of the sprouting – and please don’t be intimidated by it! It is so simple and takes barely any hands on time. HERE is my simple post about the hows and whys to sprout beans!

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Tips:

• HERE is how to sprout your beans – again it is super simple and barely any hands on time!
• HERE are the benefits of using pastured/local/organic pork for your bacon source. If you are unsure of where to find some around you, head to your local farmer’s market and ask around! The farmers are usually more than willing to help.
• If you don’t have a nice big stock pot for your kitchen…oh! Treat yourself to one this year. I use mine at least weekly and it is one of my kitchen staples! It is so nice to have to make very large batches of soup for your freezer, and it is easier to cook down a big batch of beans in a big stock pot!
• THIS would be a nice “to-go” slow cooker that you could bring your beans in for a picnic or park day!

Keep me posted if you try the baked beans for your family gathering this summer!