another minestrone

Zucchini to use up, I'm following this recipe (sort of) for minestrone.  

• pasta (elbows or another small shape are nice), about 1 cup dried
• onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic (depends on size)
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup green beans (in shorter lengths)
• tomatoes and water (1 15 oz can diced tomatoes + 6 cups of water, or whatever tomato/water combo worked - I used passata for most of it)
• bouillon (or use broth)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (or fresh)
• 1 tsp dried basil (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley (or fresh) 
• salt, pepper
• parmesan rind piece 
• bay leaf
• can (or equivalent) of beans: white beans, kidney beans, or cranberry beans  

Saute carrots, celery, and onions until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic and saute gently for a minute or two.  

Add zucchini and beans (and any other vegetables, though leafy greens should come later), beans, spices, tomatoes, water, parmesan rind, etc.  

Cook about 30 minutes until vegetables are cooked but not soft.

Cook pasta separately and add in (unless the whole pot of soup is getting eaten then).   

lacto fermented green beans

When asking friends what they do with an abundance of green beans, one mentioned lacto-fermented green beans.  I'd not had those before so started a batch last night.  Directions from here. I didn't put anything except beans and brine in the jar; I'd used some pickling spices in a batch of cucumbers and I really didn't like the taste of something in there; plus, the fermentation gives a nice flavor all on its own (like with sauerkraut, which I've never seasoned).  So, we'll see.  I'm clocking it for 10 days and we'll see. 

Ingredients

• 2 lb of green beans (or as many as you need to fill your jar), ends removed
• spices, which may include: 
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed but not pealed 
• pepper corns, pickling spices, etc.  
• 1 teaspoon of non-iodized salt (Kosher, sea, or pickling salt) per one cup of non-chlorinated water (make as much brine as you need to fill your jars) 

Instructions

1. Wash your jar well. Add spices to the jar.
2. Start packing the green beans.
3. When the jar is packed half way, add the crushed garlic.
4. Keep adding beans and packing the jar. Make sure to leave two inches of headspace.
5. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of water and add to the jar. Keep dissolving salt in water and add to the jar until the beans are covered.
6. Place a fermentation weight on the beans to make sure they are all submerged in the brine.
7. Close the jar with its lid finger tight.
8. Place the jar on a plate (to catch the brine that might spill out during the fermentation process) and set on the kitchen counter at room temperature to ferment. It takes half a gallon jar about 10 days to ferment.
9. During the fermentation process, the brine will become foggy and you'll notice some bubble action. This is the gas that forms during fermentation. We need to let this gas out, or in other words "burp the jar". Once a day, twist the lid open, wait a few seconds and then twist it back to close the jar (there is no need to open the jar completely). Once the brine is "clear" again, the fermentation process is done (it will never be as clear as it was when you first added it but it will be clearer than what it was during fermentation).
10. Store your jar in the fridge or in a root cellar. It should last a few months.

green beans and chicken sausage on a sheet pan

 I've got green beans and chicken sausage to use up, and a zucchini I'll probably toss on there too.  From here. 

 Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed
• 12 oz chicken sausage, sliced thick
• 3 T olive oil
• spices (I'll use Tony Cachere's) 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• toss beans with oil, then put onto rimmed baking sheet
• add sausage
• Bake 10 minutes, then flip everything
• Bake another 5-10 minutes to browning. 

 

 

easy summer garden dinner

 I have *so many vegetables* producing in my garden right now that it's a little overwhelming, and I need quick and easy ways to prepare them.  

I made this with ground beef, garlic, cabbage, and green beans - but it'd be equally good with zucchini (reduce cooktime), winter squash, tomatoes, or whatever else the garden grows.

INgredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 large cloves minced garlic (and/or chopped onion) 
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 2-4 cups green beans, cleaned and trimmed and chopped 
• 4 T soy sauce or coconut amino acids or some other salty flavoring
• black pepper
• spices as desired (I just used onion powder and some salt because I want to eat it with different things and maybe freeze it, but a Cajun seasoning or other things like htat would be great)

Instructions:

- Brown ground beef, breaking into small pieces.

- Before fully browned, turn down heat and add in garlic.

- When fully browned, add in the cabbage and soy sauce and stir well.  Turn up heat to medium.  Cook a couple of minutes with lid on.  

- Add green beans, stir well, cook with lid on for 8-10 minutes (keeping green beans somewhat firm, but cooked).

 Goes well with sour cream.  Would go well with different seasonings, roasted potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, rice or another grain, etc.  

tempeh and green bean stirfry

 Garden is producing green beans, and I have tempeh.  Time to make this.  

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onion (about ½ an onion)
• 1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 16 ounces green beans, trimmed and chopped
• ¼ cup toasted cashews, chopped (see technique tip in Notes)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or two, or until fragrant.
3. Add the tempeh and green beans to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the green beans soften and the tempeh browns.
4. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for another minute or two, or until the sauce thickens. Top with the toasted cashews.

Notes

Technique tip for cashews: If you’re starting with untoasted cashews, place a large, dry (no oil) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. They can also be roasted in a 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because they can burn easily.

 

green beans and tofu

 I've got green beans wrapping up in the garden, and tofu in the fridge.  This turned out good.  From here.

Ingredients

• brown rice
• tofu, extra or super firm
• green beans (a pound-ish)
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 T nutritional yeast
• oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1" ginger peeled and minced or grated 
  
• more soy sauce
• gochujang, chili oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds, or something along those lines

Press tofu to get moisture out.

 Start rice to cook.

Prep green beans (wash, cut ends).  Chop garlic, ginger.

Dice tofu 1/2" pieces.  Put in a bowl with 1 T soy sauce and mix, then add the 2 T nutritional yeast. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Heat saute pan with oil and add garlic and ginger for a minute, then add in the beans and cook 5-8 minutes or more (I was about 12 minutes, which included some larger beans, and needed to put a lid on for some of the time).  Add chili oil or something else for flavor.

Serve rice with tofu and beans.

shepherd's pie

Or is it cottage pie?  I'm not sure.  Anyway this shepherd's pie is good with leftover roast.  I made some last week or a couple weeks ago and froze it, and then made this from here. 

It took quite a while; next time I would consider just using frozen vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked beef roast, chopped up
• 2 cups sliced, cooked carrots (I simmered them about 8 minutes)
• 2 cups green beans (I used my other recipe for green beans)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes (about 3 to 4 large potatoes)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• (1 cup shredded cheddar) - I don't use

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Grease a baking dish and add the beef in an even layer.
3. Cover with the carrots, then the green beans.
4. Set aside.
5. Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a heavy frying pan.
6. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until it is a golden color, about 2 minutes.
7. Whisk in the milk and simmer until the gravy is smooth and thick.
8. Pour over the meat and vegetables.
9. Set aside.
10. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks.
11. Boil them in salted water until they are very tender.
12. Mash them with the 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter.
13. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
14. Spoon over the meat and vegetables and sprinkle the cheddar over the top.
15. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese it bubbly and the dish is heated all the way through.

green beans

Here is a recipe for green beans that is super easy and tasty. 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces trimmed green beans
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

How to Make It

Step 1

Place green beans in a large skillet; pour in 1/4 cup water.

Step 2

Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as water comes to a boil, cover pan and cook 3 minutes.

Step 3

Uncover pan, and stir in butter. Cook 1 minute or until water evaporates and beans are crisp-tender.

Step 4

Sprinkle beans with salt and pepper.