All about fresh beans
Break one of these beans in half and listen for them to say their their name: Snap!
They are best harvested young and tender and they’re entirely edible. Snap beans – also known as wax beans – have tender, slightly sweet, grassy-tasting pods and come in green, purple and yellow.
Green beans are an excellent source of free radical-scavenging vitamin C and vitamin A as well as bone-building vitamin K. They are also a very good source of enzyme-supportive manganese and molybdenum as well as heart-healthy dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium.
Come down to Prairie Gardens’ u-pick veggie patch this weekend and pick some yourself, then bring them home and make this delicious dish with your beans’ best friend, bacon. It’s one of our favourite recipes.
Beans and bacon, best of friends
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound green, purple or yellow beans, trimmed
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool; transfer to a serving bowl.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar, mustard, oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.Add to the green beans, along with the bacon, and toss to combine.
Quick Tip: This bacon dressing is also delicious on steamed broccoli.
