Green beans get a bad rap. Overcooked, soggy and grey, children everywhere frown at their plates when green beans are on the menu. Green beans are easy to grow in home vegetable gardens, very economical if you are purchasing them from a grocery store, and they freeze well too. Instead of cooking the beans, try steaming them instead and serving them in a salad. Steaming vegetables help them retain most of their vitamins and allows them to be used in cold dishes once they have cooled. This is a great side dish to barbecued ribs, grilled chicken, or even veggie burgers or hamburgers. Kids love the crunchy texture and the variety of vegetables are high in vitamin A and C as well as making a pretty dish with the dark and bright colors.
Ingredients:
3 cups green beans, washed and trimmed
1 cup of matchstick cut carrots
1 medium red, green, or orange pepper, finely sliced
1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup low-fat Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for about 4 minutes. Add carrots and cook for an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat and drain the vegetables into a colander or strainer. Rinse under cold water until the beans and carrots are cool to the touch, and dry with a clean dishcloth or paper towels. In your serving bowl, mix the red or green pepper, onion, salad dressing and black pepper. Combine well. Add the steamed green beans and carrots, toss gently to combine the vegetables with the dressing. This recipe serves four. Each recipe contains 63 calories, 15 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein, 130 grams of sodium, and 0 grams of fat and cholesterol. You can substitute yellow string beans for green beans if you prefer