Recipe: Checkerboard Baked Beans

Baked beans can make a great side dish, but this recipe, which includes  low-fat kielbasa, makes for a hearty, filling dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups cooked (canned okay) black eyed peas
• 1 cup cooked (canned okay) black beans
• 14 ounces low fat kielbasa
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup sodium free tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/3 cup brown sugar twin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray large oven-safe casserole with vegetable oil spray.
3.  If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse well.
4. Place measured amount of beans in the sprayed casserole dish.
5. Slice kielbasa thinly and then cut slices into quarters; add to beans.
6. Add chopped onion, tomato sauce, ground mustard, chili powder, brown sugar twin, brown sugar and lemon
   juice.
7. Mix well. Do not cover. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice during the baking
   process.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size is about ¾ cup

Calories: 376 (8% calories from fat)

Fat: 3.1 g

Saturated fat: 0.9 g

Protein: 26 g

Carbohydrates: 61 g

Fiber: 10.5 g

Cholesterol: 24 mg

Potassium: 1003 mg

Sodium: 602 mg

Omega 3 Fatty acids: 0.2 g

Source: Recipe developed and copyrighted by Kristine M. Napier, MPH, RD, LD. Reprinted with permission from “Eat Away Diabetes: Beat Type 2 Diabetes by Winning the Blood Sugar Battle.” Kristine Napier / Paperback / Prentice Hall Press / May 2002. This cookbook is available in bookstores or online from BN.com or Amazon.com.