July 11, 2002

Prairie Fare: Snappy Green Beans

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

If I placed all the green beans I cut up as a child from end to end, they’d probably reach from Fargo to Jamestown. Or maybe it just seems like 100 miles of green beans.

I became quite efficient at cutting beans after modifying my cutting techniques. I tried several different knives and finally decided a pair of scissors was my best option.

I guess I did learn something about trial and error and the scientific method in the process. When I applied my bean-cutting techniques to the bushels of rhubarb I also cut up, it didn’t work so well.

Besides cutting the beans, I had helped plant them. I ate them, too. Maybe my parents were onto something.

Summertime brings opportunities to teach children about growing food and helping with food preparation. Many vegetables are at the peak of their nutritional value and flavor. They’re less expensive in season, too. Fresh radishes, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash and all the other colorful fresh produce items add nutritious variety to summertime menus.

Reaching the goal of five total servings of fruits and vegetables daily may seem a little easier with the wide array of summertime produce. A serving of vegetables is one cup of leafy greens or one-half cup of cooked vegetables. A serving of fruit is one-half cup of cut-up fruit or a medium-size piece of fruit. Three-fourths cup of fruit or vegetable juice also counts as a serving.

With all the farmer’s markets cropping up, you don’t even have to grow produce yourself. If you’re in the market for green beans, look for blemish-free long, straight pods. They should snap easily when bent. Store fresh green beans unwashed in plastic bags in a refrigerator. A serving (one-half cup) contains about 20 calories, 4 grams carbohydrates, no fat, plus a little vitamin A.

At home, wash beans and other fresh produce thoroughly under cool running water. Don’t use detergent. Beans can be left whole, cut diagonally or "French-cut" in long strips. Nutrients are better preserved with less cutting and less exposure of the surface area to cooking water.

Cook beans for about four minutes in a small amount of boiling water and serve. Enjoy green beans in stir fry, or try the youngest, most tender beans raw.

Here’s a recipe for green beans, where cutting is not required. I wish I had known about this recipe when I was a kid.

Snappy Green Beans with Basil Dip

1/2 lb. fresh green beans, washed and stemmed
1/3 c. lowfat mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 Tbsp. lowfat milk
1 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or substitute 1/2 - 1 tsp. dried basil, to taste)

Wash beans well and snap off the ends. Mix all ingredients except green beans. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, place small serving bowl with dip in center of serving platter. Surround with green beans.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving (beans and dip) contains about 105 calories and 6.2 grams of fat.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu