Photo courtesy of Sarah Culver Photography As I've mentioned before, I'm really enjoying my work at this local farm. It's a nice way to spend a good half of my Friday each week - out in the sun/nature/rain, giving back, learning, and appreciating where our food really comes from. The past few weeks, green bean picking has been high on the "to do" list. And by "high" I mean it needs to get done, not that anyone is eager to do it! Green bean picking is hard. The beans blend in with their mother plant and there's no good way to situate yourself to pick them. Most of the time, you end up just half bent over, hunting for the thin beans, taking breaks to stretch your back and hamstrings which are now aching from the tension. The good news? Green beans are yummy. And this recipe is so stinkin' simple I've been hesitating to share it because I barely know if I can call it a "recipe" at all!
I like to snack on these green bean "fries" any time of the day. They go great with grilled chicken, some fresh fish, or even a side of beef. We make them almost once a week during the summer, and now that I have green beans straight from the farm, they're making very frequent appearances at our table!
Green Bean Fries
Green beans, as many as you would like
salt
pepper
olive oil
Preheat your oven to 400*. For easy clean-up, line a baking sheet with foil. Break the stubby/non-pointed end of your beans off into the trash (just the last little bit). Drizzle the beans with just a touch of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss them around until the beans are evenly coated with oil and spices. You are welcome to do this in a bowl; I typically just lay the beans out on the foil-covered tray, drizzle with oil and top with spices, and then use my hands to mix 'em around until coated. I don't like make extra dirty dishes. :)
Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until most of the beans have a nice brown, caramelized coloring to them. The outer skin will turn a golden brown and bubble a bit. Keep an eye on them and at some point during the baking process, shake the tray a bit so the beans get evening cooked. Serve. Devour. Repeat.
Mean, Green, Fighting Machine
Folate - necessary for DNA synthesis to produce new cells and blood cells
Vitamin A - immune function, membrane health, reproductive health, vision, teeth and bone growth, and gene expression
Vitamin C - required for connective tissue synthesis (collagen), increases immune defenses, serves as an antioxidant, necessary for proper thyroid function, increase iron absorption (especially from non-heme --non animal-- sources), needed for proper amino acid metabolism
Vitamin K - bone protein synthesis and blood-clotting protein synthesis functions
Iron - oxygen-carrying part of hemoglobin (compound in blood cells), required for energy production by cells
Manganese - antioxidant, needed for proper thyroid function, assists in wound healing, and increases immune defenses
Green Bean Fries
Green beans, as many as you would like
salt
pepper
olive oil
Preheat your oven to 400*. For easy clean-up, line a baking sheet with foil. Break the stubby/non-pointed end of your beans off into the trash (just the last little bit). Drizzle the beans with just a touch of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss them around until the beans are evenly coated with oil and spices. You are welcome to do this in a bowl; I typically just lay the beans out on the foil-covered tray, drizzle with oil and top with spices, and then use my hands to mix 'em around until coated. I don't like make extra dirty dishes. :)
Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until most of the beans have a nice brown, caramelized coloring to them. The outer skin will turn a golden brown and bubble a bit. Keep an eye on them and at some point during the baking process, shake the tray a bit so the beans get evening cooked. Serve. Devour. Repeat.
Mean, Green, Fighting Machine
Folate - necessary for DNA synthesis to produce new cells and blood cells
Vitamin A - immune function, membrane health, reproductive health, vision, teeth and bone growth, and gene expression
Vitamin C - required for connective tissue synthesis (collagen), increases immune defenses, serves as an antioxidant, necessary for proper thyroid function, increase iron absorption (especially from non-heme --non animal-- sources), needed for proper amino acid metabolism
Vitamin K - bone protein synthesis and blood-clotting protein synthesis functions
Iron - oxygen-carrying part of hemoglobin (compound in blood cells), required for energy production by cells
Manganese - antioxidant, needed for proper thyroid function, assists in wound healing, and increases immune defenses