2015 CSA                Summer July 12^th                          Planet Earth Diversified

Now into green bean land! There are so many ways to enjoy green beans from tempura (photo from recipegreat.com), casserole (photo preventcancer.aicr.org) to salad (photo delectablyfree.com), but i did not find any recipes using raw green beans, and we do enjoy them raw ourselves. All of the salad recipes called for the beans to be blanched, cooked to the tenderness of your liking. But the recipe that really caught my eye was a homemade version of green bean casserole from scratch, from the previously mentioned preventcancer.aicr site, photo above left. Ingredients: 1 lb of green beans, oil, ½ cup chopped onion, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 8 oz chopped mushrooms, 1 clove of chopped garlic, 2tbs of flour, 1 ½ cup milk, salt, pepper and pinch of cayenne. The recipe says to cook the green beans, 5 min, set in oiled baking dish; sauté the onion and mix with the breadcrumbs for topping; then cook the mushrooms 2-3 minutes before finishing with the garlic, add to the green beans in the baking dish; then add a bit of oil and the flour, scraping bits together from the pan and add the milk, stirring vigorously; simmer until thick enough to coat spoon, or until stirring with the spoon creates a wide swath, from 5-7 minutes, and add the seasonings. Mix this with green beans and mushrooms, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle with the topping and bake for about 10 minutes or until top is crunchy….Doesn’t that sound good! Much better than casserole from a can.

2015 CSA                Summer           July 4th                     Planet Earth Diversified

For a refreshing tonic, try combining cucumber, mint, lemongrass and basil for a chilled infusion. The ingredients can be thinly sliced into a pitcher of water and set to chill in the fridge. Since lemongrass is fibrous, cut lengthwise and crush with a rolling pin. For a different approach, process through a blender and strain, adding water to taste. Could be a satisfying surprise to share over the holiday weekend. J To your pleasure and your health!