Feisty Green Beans – Birthday Edition

Fiesty Green Beans

For my birthday this year, I wanted to keep things low-key. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that every birthday should be celebrated; after all, you never know which birthday will be your last. I just didn’t want a big party. So, instead if even going out to eat, I decided to cook. Cooking brings me much more joy than going out to eat, and I almost always love what I make!

Feisty Green Beans is one of my favorite recipes. Oh, how I wish I could take credit for this delicious recipe! I found it on 101 Cookbooks a while ago and have made it several times, each time with slightly different ingredients, and every time it is delicious! It is slightly spicy and soulfully satisfying. I once made  Feisty Green Beans for a crowd. Every time I added another ingredient to the pan, another person would come up to me and tell me how much they hated that ingredient and why… Amazingly, each of them gave the beans a try. Not one person disliked it.

To go with the beans, I sliced up some kohlrabi. I love the crisp texture of kohlrabi, and its benign flavor complemented the spicy beans perfectly. Kohlrabi is high in dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium (goodbye anxiety!), vitamin C, and more. I simply cut the coarse outside off of the vegetable, sliced it into bit-sized chunks, and lightly salted it. Perfect.

 

Also on the side, I thinly sliced a baguette and spread a thick layer of fresh brebis cheese (sheep’s milk cheese) on each slice. This would have been even better if I had toasted the slices first, but I opted for ease in this case.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

 

Finally dessert arrived! A flourless chocolate cake ala Seward Co-op. So rich, so good. The top chocolate flower was way too sweet for both Martin and me, so we ended up not eating it. The pinot noir we were drinking went superbly with the cake. I must do that combo again soon!

Feisty Green Beans
Serves 4
Green beans, tofu, raisins, cilantro, sour cream - it sounds like a strange combination but your tastebuds will thank you!
317 calories
25 g
25 g
21 g
9 g
7 g
252 g
599 g
14 g
0 g
12 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
252g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 317
Calories from Fat 178
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 21g
32%
Saturated Fat 7g
35%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 25mg
8%
Sodium 599mg
25%
Total Carbohydrates 25g
8%
Dietary Fiber 5g
21%
Sugars 14g
Protein 9g
Vitamin A
21%
Vitamin C
11%
Calcium
19%
Iron
16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb green beans (I used mostly yellow beans)
  2. 1/2 cup raisins
  3. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  4. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  5. 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  6. 3 bay leaves
  7. 1/3 cup white wine (I used red wine this time. Just choose a wine you love.)
  8. 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I used hungarian paprika)
  9. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  10. 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  11. 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  12. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  13. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  14. 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained.
  15. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  16. 1/3 cup sour cream
  17. 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  18. 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. Drain the tofu. Press the tofu by wrapping in a towel and placing something heavy (like a can of tomatoes) on top of it. Let sit like this until you're ready to use it.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the green beans for just a minute; they should be a bright color and still crisp. Drain and dunk in an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set-aside.
  3. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water (for about 5 minutes).
  4. Heat your largest skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, onion, and bay leaves. Cook until the onions and garlic start to brown just a bit. Add the wine and cook until it has mostly evaporated. Remove the bay leaves.
  5. Stir in the spices. Cut tofu into 1/4 inch cubes and add to the skillet. Drain the raisins and add to the skillet. Cook until heated through, about a minute or two. Add the butter and the green beans and stir until the butter has melted.
  6. Remove from heat. Stir in the sour cream, toasted almonds, and cilantro. Devoir.
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
beta
calories
317
fat
21g
protein
9g
carbs
25g
more
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Craving Sustenance https://www.cravingsustenance.com/