Nye's 'fancy' beans
Your basic idea is to get half a tin of baked beans (or more), combine with one or two tasty things, heat and serve with whatever you're having it with. I am neutral to negative towards baked beans as they are (with the exception of Whole Earth Organic Baked Beans). Using flavourings, baked beans can form a useful and tasty part of your diet.
Garlic puree and black pepper. Mix the garlic puree and ground black pepper with the beans, heat. You can even do this in the handy-to-microwave Heinz snap pots; just make sure that you stir it well once before and once after cooking. Using fresh chopped garlic or prepared chopped garlic means that you have a little extra work. For chopped garlic, heat a saucepan and add a small amount of oil or spray. Sautee the garlic til it is soft, then add the baked beans and simmer.
You can use garlic and another spice and/or herb. Yesterday I did baked beans with garlic, turmeric and black pepper. I used about an eighth to a quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric - don't want to go overboard. I haven't used curry powder and garlic yet, but I imagine that would be a good addition. Try to be sparing with the curry powder though. I have ready-chopped and frozen coriander and parsley in the freezer, which I also add (I think I'd only add coriander with Indian spices).
Also, try adding something chunky like cooked/tinned chopped tomatoes, pre-cooked (vegetarian) chopped sausages, or sauteed/pre-cooked onions. You can't do that in the snap pots: if you are using them, pour the beans and chunky addition into a microwavable container with a loose cover (if microwaving).
Try not to add something with too much salt in it as the baked beans are already high in salt.
Ammounts: Use half a teaspoon of garlic puree or half a clove of garlic per half tin of baked beans. Use less than half a teaspoon of fresh or jarred chopped chilli per half tin of baked beans. Use less than half a teaspoon of spices or dried herbs per half tin of baked beans. Use one teaspoon of fresh herbs per half tin of baked beans.
Other convenience foods can be transformed (to a degree) using these and similar methods. Zazz up cheap tinned soup by adding interesting stuff to it. I use convenience foods from time to time
Garlic puree and black pepper. Mix the garlic puree and ground black pepper with the beans, heat. You can even do this in the handy-to-microwave Heinz snap pots; just make sure that you stir it well once before and once after cooking. Using fresh chopped garlic or prepared chopped garlic means that you have a little extra work. For chopped garlic, heat a saucepan and add a small amount of oil or spray. Sautee the garlic til it is soft, then add the baked beans and simmer.
You can use garlic and another spice and/or herb. Yesterday I did baked beans with garlic, turmeric and black pepper. I used about an eighth to a quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric - don't want to go overboard. I haven't used curry powder and garlic yet, but I imagine that would be a good addition. Try to be sparing with the curry powder though. I have ready-chopped and frozen coriander and parsley in the freezer, which I also add (I think I'd only add coriander with Indian spices).
Also, try adding something chunky like cooked/tinned chopped tomatoes, pre-cooked (vegetarian) chopped sausages, or sauteed/pre-cooked onions. You can't do that in the snap pots: if you are using them, pour the beans and chunky addition into a microwavable container with a loose cover (if microwaving).
Try not to add something with too much salt in it as the baked beans are already high in salt.
Ammounts: Use half a teaspoon of garlic puree or half a clove of garlic per half tin of baked beans. Use less than half a teaspoon of fresh or jarred chopped chilli per half tin of baked beans. Use less than half a teaspoon of spices or dried herbs per half tin of baked beans. Use one teaspoon of fresh herbs per half tin of baked beans.
Other convenience foods can be transformed (to a degree) using these and similar methods. Zazz up cheap tinned soup by adding interesting stuff to it. I use convenience foods from time to time