Green Bean & Tomato Salad

/

This recipe is from Alice Waters, the queen of simple, easy, delicious food.  The best part? It’s cost effective.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • ½ pound of green beans
  • ½ pound of cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, diced very finely
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 6 basil leaves
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Preparation

Trim the ends of the green beans.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Drop the green beans inside and cook for 2-3 minutes (do not overcook or they will get soggy! You know they are done when they turn bright green or when the time is up).  Remove and run under cold water until they cool down to stop the cooking (or dump them into an ice cold bath in a bowl).

Take the cherry tomatoes and cut in half. 

Stir together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Taste.  (Waters recommends stirring together everything but the olive oil first, waiting 15 minutes, and then stirring in the olive oil, but I modified to save time).  

Take the green beans, tomatoes, and basil leaves and combine in a bowl.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. 

Enjoy! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it helps you live a better life.  I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below. 

If you enjoyed this article, share it with your friends and family!

Judith

 

About Green Beans

  • Green beans are sometimes known as string beans because of the string that runs down the pod
  • Sometimes also referred to by their French name, haricot vert
  • Belong to the same family as pinto, black, and kidney beans
  • Picked while still immature and therefore are eaten whole in the pod rather than dried

Nutrient Profile:

  • Vitamin K
  • Manganese
  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary fiber
  • Folate
  • Vitamin B1, B2, and B6
  • Copper
  • Chromium
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Phosphorus
  • Choline
  • Vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids)
  • Niacin
  • Protein
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Iron
  • Vitamin E

Health Benefits:

  • Antioxidant support
  • Cardiovascular benefits

Selection and Storage:

  • If possible, find a store or farmer's market that sells green beans loose so that you can sort through them to find the best quality beans
  • Look for a smooth and firm texture, a vibrant green color, and a telltale “snap” when broken
  • Store unwashed beans in a plastic bag in the crisper for seven days or less

In collaboration with Soul Food Salon, each week we will feature a delicious and seasonal ingredient (recipe + some interesting wellness facts).  Please share pictures of your meals on Instagram using the hashtag #SoulFoodSalon and follow us at @JudithDuval and @SoulFoodSalon.  We can’t wait to cook with you!