Sara B Consulting: NYE, Cyclone Victory, CFDes Moines, and Maple Syrup Crock Pot Beans

Monday, January 4, 2010

NYE, Cyclone Victory, CFDes Moines, and Maple Syrup Crock Pot Beans

Happy New Year!
Start this year off right with health and happiness in mind. I heard the best quote yesterday... "the best diet is the one you don't even know your on."
That is the approach I take at Sara B Consulting. It is the only maintainable "diet" there is...a healthy lifestyle.
I have New Year's resolutions myself and will write about them in my next blog...there was just too much to fit into this one...so many exciting things already in 2010!

We spent NYE at my parents watching the Cyclones win over Minnesota in the Insight.com Bowl, playing games, and eating yummy food.

the spread

of course Mom made J's favorite cookies

the soups...Vegetable Bisque (under labes:soups) and Marie's Chicken Alfredo (will have to get the recipe to post)

loaded with veggies...just the way we like it

my nieces (Emmerson and Peyton) helped bring in the New Year with noise makers and party hats!

sporting the ISU gear (brother and sister-in-law aka Bryan and Marie)

this is probably not a correct portion size :)

Maple Syrup Crockpot Beans

along with my veggie bisque, I tried a new bean recipe to bring to the party. Sweet beans it was good!

Ingredients:
2 cups yellow eyed beans or white navy beans

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 T EVOO

1 tsp dried mustard

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 molasses (did not use)

1 C pure maple syrup (I did not have molasses on hand so I used just the 1 c of organic maple syrup which was plenty of sweetener...could probably get away with even less)

Instructions:

Soak beans overnight in plenty of water (yes I used real dried beans for the first time ;) you could probably get aways with canned, drained beans if short on time.

Next day, discard water and place bean in pot of fresh water. Boil in plenty of water until tender, about an hour. Drain beans, saving 2 cups of water. Place half bean in crockpot, layer half the onion over top along with a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with remaining beans, onions, and oil.

In small bowl mix the 1c reserved liquid with syrup and pour over beans. Then mix spices and remaining 1c liquid together and pour over beans. The beans should be just covered with liquid. Cover and cook for several hours (let the aroma take over you house). Remove lid and cook for 30 another minutes before serving. Enjoy their sweetness!