Heinz meanz beanz…

 …or does it mean ketchup? Mwahaha, now that’s a million dollar question.   I always joke that I would be such a cheap date because my taste buds are extremely accommodating.  I do love my lobster linguini, but I’m just as happy with a Nandos chicken pitta.  Oddly enough, ketchup and baked beans are two things which I am a snob about.  If it’s not made by Heinz, I will turn my nose up against it.  My mom once made the mistake of purchasing Branston beans and trust me, there was a difference.  Perhaps it’s all in my head, but baked beans and ketchup produced by other brands taste funky.  It must be something to do with the tomatoes used. 

I have a love-hate relationship with baked beans but for the last 2 weeks, I’ve been on a major baked beans kick.  I don’t know what it is, but something about them just screams comfort food to me.  It’s one of those foods which the thought alone isn’t appetising, but the taste always goes over and beyond expectations.  Truth be told, I’m a bit of a weirdo with baked beans.  Firstly I am baffled by those who enjoy it as breakfast.  They’re yummy and all but I personally find it way too early to eat it before noon.  And secondly, the thought of having it on toast makes me shudder.  The whole process of the beans moistening the bread and then leaving it soggy just seems like such a tragic use of bread.  For me, the perfect accompaniment is sweet potato (or regular potato) wedges with baked beans and cottage cheese (or cream cheese) on the side.  Chuck in some mushrooms while heating up the baked beans and that, my friends, is a well-balanced meal.  Tell me that meal does not have yummy written all over it.

If you too are a fan of baked beans, consider yourself lucky.  It’s definitely on my list of top 5 ‘reliable’ meals.  It’s full of protein & fibre; it can be heated up in 2 minutes flat; a can costs less than £1.  Healthy, quick and cheap: well-balanced all round :D.  I know that baked beans don’t fare well in terms of its sugar and salt content.  And if I want to get really anal about it, I could probably whip up a ‘healthier’ version at home by caramelizing onions and mixing in some cannellini beans and tomato paste.  But then again, that would be like voluntarily driving in traffic when the highway is completely free.  If eating canned baked beans is considered ‘unhealthy’,  I don’t think we’re doing too badly!

Before I started writing this post, I was contemplating what to have for a dinner.  It was a toss-up between a tofu stir fry and noodles or baked beans and sweet potato.  I think I have my answer now ;).