The thing I have missed most about California (besides family and friends) since moving to New York is the food. Living in San Franciso with the Central Valley only a couple hours away, I was accustomed to having lots of affordable fresh fruits and vegetables around. New York moves at a frantic pace and its quite common to spend over 12 hours a day (at least!) outside of your home. This means eating a lot of meals on the go. And its really hard to get decent vegetables, especially when you are eating cheap convenience foods. After a day or two of only a few measly limp servings of vegetables, a funny thing happens - I actually start to CRAVE vegetables! I start dreaming of fresh, crisp broccoli or fantasizing about a hot, hearty dish of Indian Palak Paneer filled with spinach.
One of my favorite vegetables is green beans. I even loved them as a kid. Every year my Dad planted and harvested heirloom Italian green beans. These seeds had been brought over from Italy by his great grandfather and passed down through the family. We would pick them fresh from the garden and cook them that night with onions and garlic. They were so delicious!
Here's a simple recipe:
Italian Style Green Beans
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed of ends
4 large tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1-2 tablespoons dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Snap the beans into 2-inch pieces, if desired. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes to soften slightly. Drain well. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until softened. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered, until tomatoes start to break down. Add the green beans and cook, uncovered, until beans are tender. Check often for moisture; cover the pan and reduce the heat if bottom is dry. Taste the beans for seasoning and add additional salt, pepper and oregano as needed. Cook for 10 additional minutes, or until beans are very tender.
Green Beans - Green beans are best picked when not fully mature and the bean inside is still small and under-developed. Green beans are high in fiber and low in calories. They are an excellent source of Vitamin K, providing 25% of RDA in a one cup serving. Vitamin K helps maintain strong bones by working together with calcium in the body. Green beans also contain high levels of Beta Carotene and Vitamin C. Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of Vitamin C and Beta Carotene have lower levels of colon cancer. They are also a good source of iron. (http:www.whfoods.com)
Garlic - Garlic is a good source of manganese, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. It contains a compound called allicin which is responsible not only for is pungent flavor and smell but also many of its healthful properties. Allicin works together with vitamin C to have antibacterial and antiviral effects and may help with common aliments such as colds, the flu and yeast infections. Studies have found that garlic can protect against heart disease and may lower risk of certain types of cancer. Anti-inflammatory agents in garlic assist with asthma and arthritis. Studies on allicin have also found that it lowers blood pressure, triglyceride and insulin levels, it is therefore being researched for potential weight loss properties as well.
