Green beans are probably the most used vegetable than any other. Green bean casserole, country style with pork slow cooked until almost falling apart, wrapped in bacon, in a Niçoise salad, in a soup….so many uses.
I love green beans. They are that vegetable that you have in the pantry even if you don’t have fresh and with a little seasoning, some bacon, onions, garlic, and salt and pepper, even the canned turn out to be a delicious side dish.
I these fresh green beans, then quickly sautéed them with chopped garlic in brown butter until heated through and tender, with still a little crunch, and finished them with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice!
Below is Information I found on the internet. The link is at the bottom!
- Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 calories per 100 g of raw bean pods) and contain no saturated fat. Nevertheless, these lean pod vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.
- The beans are a very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per 100g RDA) which acts as a bulk laxative. Fiber helps to protect colon mucosa by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the gut. An adequate amount of fiber in the diet has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing reabsorption of cholesterol-binding bile acids in the colon.
- Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin-A, and health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and β -carotene in right amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
- Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in the beans, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV-light filtering functions. It is, therefore, green beans offer some protection in the prevention of age-related macular disease(ARMD) in the older adults.
- Snap beans are an excellent source of folates. 100 g fresh beans provide 37 µg or 9% of folates. Folate along with vitamin B-12 is one of the essential components of DNA synthesis and cell division. A good folate diet, when given during preconception periods and pregnancy, may help prevent neural-tube defects in the newborn babies.
- Green beans also carry good amounts of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), and vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
- Moreover, green beans contain healthy amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which very essential for body metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very potent free radical scavenger. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Sourcehttps://www.nutrition-and-you.com/green_beans.html
This recipe is easy and fast and you’re not cooking all the nutrients out; just the opposite, retaining them with the quick cook!
Enjoy!
Perfect Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon in Browned Butter
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Fresh green beans with stem removed
- Water for blanching
- Salt
- 2 Tsp Unsalted butter
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic
- Zest of a lemon
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a saucepan with water and generously add salt. Bring to a boil and add the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the pan and immediately sub merge in ice water. Heat the butter in a saucepa. When the butter starts to brown just a little add the garlic and immediately add the green beans. Toss the beans a couple of times until heated through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the zest of one lemon. Add a pinch of a salt and fresh ground pepper.
Try Sunday Pot Roast! These green beans will be the perfect side dish https://the2spoons.com/sunday-pot-roast/