Green Beans - Any Suggestions?
 

I have an over-abundance of green beans from my garden this year. I'd prefer to eat them fresh rather than freezing them and am looking for new ways to prepare them, other than just steaming them.

Anyone have any green bean recipes that they particularly like?

- Barbara

I absolutely ADORE lubee---a middle eastern dish!
It combines green beans with tomatoes, beef or lamb and cinnamon.
I will often substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast to decrease fat and calories-it is not quite as delish as using the higher fat meats but still quite tasty


Lubee (Lebanese Dish)

2 lbs. green beans
1 lb. lamb or beef , cubed (trim all visible fat)
1 medium onion
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt or salt substitute
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup water
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Brown meat with onions in melted butter and add spices. String
and cut green beans. Wash and drain. combine beans with meat.
cover and steam for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, paste and water and cook
over low heat approximately 1 hour. Serve over rice.

I love roasted green beans. Toss them with a little worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt and fresh cracked black pepper, then roast them in a hot oven until they start to shrivel :T

I saute green beans in just a touch of sesame oil and olive oil (about half and half - and only a teaspoon or so of each). After about 5 min of cooking, I throw in 2 cloves of minced garlic and a bit of chicken stock, then put a lid on the pan so the green beans will cook through. Just before serving, I sprinkle with kosher salt and squeeze the juice of a lemon on top.

1 slice of bacon, raw and diced in small pieces (optional, but really good - original recipe called for 4 slices of bacon)

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 cans of tomato paste or tomato sauce (or one of each)
Add a can of water for every can of tomato paste

1 tsp of sugar, splenda or nutrisweet (or to taste) -
(usually not needed if using tomato paste).

1/2 tsp vinegar
(usually not needed if using just tomato sauce)

green beans trimmed and cleaned (or canned)

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and bacon until onions are soft and bacon is done to your satisfaction. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste with water, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add green beans. Simmer until beans are tender. How many beans you add depends on how you want to serve them. If you add a lot of beans, they will hold the sauce and make a great side dish by themselves. If you add fewer beans (or make extra sauce), so it's runny, it is really nice as a side dish or a main dish over rice or potatoes (boiled, mashed, or baked).

Oh gosh, these all sound delish! :) I too will have an abundance of beans soon - I'm printing these off.

I like them sauteed and then add some balsamic vinegar at the end. I took this general idea from a WW cookbook, but I seldom follow recipes but use them for general proportions, etc.

Yes.. this is how I love them! Sauteed in olive oil and garlic then add balsamic vinegar afterwards.

All of those ideas sound great! I'm definitely going to try the Lubee (esp sinces it uses 2 lbs of green beans)--I love cinnamon in meat dishes!

I'm sure I have well over 2 lbs of green beans at this point, so I plan on trying some of your other ideas as well!

- Barbara

Add them in Tofu stir fry! or just stir fry them with 1/4 tsp of olive oil with garlic paste and other veggies like carrots, broccoli,mushrooms and peppers. Add cayenne pepper, salt and a tsp of soy sauce and vinegar.

lately, i've been pairing them with the tomatoes - another over aboundance from the garden- some balsamic, garlic, oregano and basil. Wrap in foil and throw on bbq while your other stuff is cooking- YUMMY!

Well I have never tried doing this myself... YET... but I get green beans mixed in some veggie chips which are dehydrated and they are wonderful.

Here is one more from a site I just found.

Green Beans with Tomatoes
Here's a recipe that's similar to Greek green beans, without all the oil:

1 pound green beans
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped green onions or red onion
1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tomatoes, diced or 1 cup canned tomatoes (drained and coarsely chopped) & 1/4 cup of their juice
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Trim beans and cut into bite size pieces. In a large pot, heat vegetable broth and sauté onions and garlic until limp. Add tomatoes and cook 3 to 6 minutes. Add beans, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste, turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the beans are just tender. Uncover the pan now and then and stir and test for doneness. At the very end stir in the basil. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4.



fatfreevegan.com

My mom puts chopped onion and rosemary in hers--simple and really good! A really low calorie side dish.