Minty Three Bean Salad

This is a flavorful veggie salad for your Sunday dinners or Holiday Buffet.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed
• 1 lb yellow wax beans, trimmed
• 1/2 lb fresh shell beans, shelled
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• dash of low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh lovage, optional

Procedure:

1. Blanch green and yellow beans until cooked through to the crunchy/tender stage. (2 minutes)
2. Plunge them into cold water and drain and set aside.
3. Blanch the shell beans.  5 – 10 minutes if they’re small, larger beans might take 20 minutes.
4. Plunge them into cold water and drain and set aside.
5. To prepare the dressing, mix honey nd hot water and in a non-aluminum pan, combine honey mixture with cider vinegar, until honey dissolves.  Cool slightly and add oil, soy sauce and mustard.
6. Add beans, onion, and garlic,  Toss with dressing.  Sprinkle mint and lovage over the beans.

Vegetable Casserole

This vegetable casserole will surely please picky eaters, and company or pot-luck diners as well!

Ingredients

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (or frozen to 2 cups)
• 1 can cut green beans, drained (or fresh, cut, blanched to tender stage, do not use frozen)
• 1 can cream of celery soup, or cream of mushroom, or cream of chicken
• 1/2 cup sour cream, light is fine
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 c saltine cracker crumbs, or your favorite
• 1/4 cups sliced almonds, roasted

Hint:  1/3 c fiber powder to increase your fiber intake.  You won’t taste it, and most of us need it.

Procedure

Combine vegetables, soup, cheese, onion, sour cream and fiber powder.  Place in a baking pan that is not greased and mix the butter, cracker crumbs and almods.  Sprinkle over the veggies and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  It should be bubbly, so do not overcook.

Enjoy with your main dish meal!

Green Vegetables In Main Dishes – Green Bean, Beef and Rice Dinner

Don’t forget the green beans, especially fresh!!  This main dish is full of tasty flavors. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
• 2 c fresh and trimmed, cut green beans, drained  (precook fresh for about 8 minutes, or 1 can)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp dried onion
• 1 tbs sugar or Splenda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• dash pepper or pepper flakes
• dash hot pepper sauce – optional

Procedure

1. In skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat, drain.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Enjoy with french bread and salad.

Country Green Beans

My grandmother used to make these and they were absolutely the best green beans I ever ate. 

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon, chopped, raw
• 1 c sliced onion
• 2 c chopped, seeded, peeled tomato
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb fresh green geans, trimmed

1. Remove ends of green beans and string if necessary.  Cut into 1 inch pieces. or leave whole.  Set aside.
2. Fry bacon until crisp.  Remove and reserve drippings.
3. Drain bacon on paper towels, set aside.
4. Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender.
5. Add tomato and salt.  Cook, uncovered about 5 minutes.  Most of the liquid should be absorbed by now.
6. In medium saucepan, cook the beans in boiling water, covered for about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.  Transfer beanst to a serving bowl and toss with tomato mixture and bacon.

A great side dish to a Sunday Dinner!