Summertime brings an explosion of tasty veggies to the market or maybe you’re own garden including corn, tomatoes, okra, peppers, and green beans. This green jewel celebrates a long history in gardens and on dinner tables throughout the world. Sure, it’s a favorite ingredient in Thanksgiving casseroles. But, it’s been a popular and important food for much longer than that.
Green beans are a staple of any good garden. They’re easy to plant and require very little care to grow up big and strong. They aren’t picky about soil and don’t need fertilizer because they create their own nitrogen.
All and all, green beans are a hearty and practical plant for most home gardeners, which is probably why they have been cultivated for thousands of years.
Green beans contain nutrients that help prevent diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
They are full of healthy vitamins and very low in calories. Additionally, green beans are naturally free of saturated fat and cholesterol. This means they’re heart healthy and great if you’re following a weight loss diet. This means they do not contain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest. So, adding green beans to your diet might help promote good digestive health.
So in honor of the green bean, here’s a recipe that is easy and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped in half or thirds.
- 3 Tbls butter
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- dash of garlic salt
Directions
- Place green beans in large skillet and cover with water. Bring to boil Reduce heat to medium and simmer until beans start to soften about 5 minutes.
- Drain water and add butter to green beans.
- Cook and stir until butter is melted, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, lemon pepper, and garlic salt. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve with any meat or other side dish. I served these delicious green beans with a chuck roast cooked in a Dutch oven. I marinated the roast in my favorite beef marinade recipe. I also made a corn casserole as an additional side dish.
If you like green beans, give this recipe a try. If you love green beans, don’t miss the Green Bean Festival in Blairsville, Georgia. COVID put the squash on it this year but it’s on for next year on the last weekend of July.
It’s a weekend full of fun featuring arts, crafts, music, and of course, green beans. For more information on next year’s festival visit https://www.visitdowntownblairsville.com/the-green-bean-festival
