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Has everyone started to get green beans yet? Mine succumbed to spider mites or some such animal so I pulled them up to save the rest of the vegetables. However, there are green beans available in the farmer’s markets and in the stores. Did you know that the beans we know and love today originated in the Americas and were eaten by ancient South American cultures. In fact beans may date back as far as 6000 years B. C. The Aztecs had to pay taxes to their central government in the yearly sum of 8000 bushels of beans.
When old Chris Columbus met the American tries, they introduced him to their beans. He took them back to Europe where they planted them for ornamental plants first then later for food. The French started experimenting with beans in their cookery. They started eating fresh, whole beans, cooked right in the pod, something Europeans had never tried before. England called them French-beans and here in the U. S. we often see French cut green beans in the can and frozen.
Remember when your mother always said, “Eat your beans, they are good for you!!!”. Well, guess what, they are. Just one cup of beans packs your body with carbohydrates,( including fiber), with as much protein as 2 oz of meat, with calcium, iron, potassium and B vitamins. On top of that they taste good!!!
Today’s recipe is one I tried this week and we liked. I tried it as I have an enormous amount of basil in my yard. (It is like a weed, but really pretty and really useful.) I also have a barrel of parsley plants. So here is a recipe for fresh green beans. Enjoy!!!!
Herbed Green Beans
1 lb. Green beans 1 tsp dried parsley flakes, crushed
½ cup celery thinly sliced ½ tsp basil leaves, crushed*
¼ cup onions, chopped ¼ tsp salt
2 T. butter or margarine 1/8 tsp pepper
*If using fresh herbs, use three times the amount of dried. Fresh herbs should be chopped or minced.
Rinse beans. Snip off ends and cut beans into 1 ½ inch pieces. Place in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Over medium heat, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender; drain.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat saute celery and onion in butter for 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until celery is fork tender. Add to drained beans. Toss and heat through.