Green, crisp, fresh and delicious; nothing beats fresh green beans.

Recipes with Fresh Green Beans

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Though I enjoy my home canned produce year round, about mid way through winter I begin to miss the taste of green beans fresh from the garden. Fresh green beans are one of my favorites. Many get eaten raw, right in the garden.

When cooking fresh green beans I like to keep it simple. They are so full of flavor; I don’t want to overpower them with other ingredients. Whether you pick your green beans from your garden, or enjoy the fresh green beans harvested from the farmers field here are some recipes and ideas for preparing them.

First wash them. Beans usually are fairly clean, and if they have been grown organically you don’t need to worry about any pesticide residue. Simply rinse them in water.

Next they will need snapped. If your beans are string less, simply snap off both ends. They can be left whole if you like, or you can snap them into pieces a couple inches long. If your beans have strings, I recommend snapping them into pieces after removing the ends. Snapping them in pieces will help ensure that all the strings have been removed.

Beans, Potatoes, and Bacon

In the summer this dish often becomes a whole meal for my family. It may be served with cornbread, freshly sliced tomatoes, or sometimes all by its self.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ - 2 pounds of green beans, cleaned and snapped
• 4 slices of bacon chopped
• ½ a medium onion chopped
• 5 or six medium potatoes washed and quartered
• salt and pepper to taste

Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Begin them cooking on medium high heat. Fry bacon and onion in a pan, just until the onion is soft. Drain the grease and add the onion and bacon to the potatoes. Add the green beans. Bring to a boil, then turn back to simmer, just until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork. Add seasoning to taste.

Another version of this recipe is to slow cook a beef roast. When the roast is done remove it from the juices. Let the roast rest and add the potatoes and green beans to the juices. (This can be done on the stove or in the oven.) Add water if needed to cover the vegetables. Shred the roast and add the meat back to the pan. Simmer until the potatoes are done.

Sautéed Green Beans

Another favorite is to simply sauté fresh green beans in a little butter or olive oil. Add a little fresh garlic, chopped onion, salt, or garlic powder. The beans should be tender, but crisp.

About the Author

Stephanie Appleton lives with her husband and four children in the hills of West Virginia where they are learning to live simply and getting out of debt. Her ideas about cheap and healthy food appear regularly at All Foods Natural. She also writes for other web sites. See more at Stephanie's blog Stop the Ride!.