all things food
This Southern green beans recipe turns simple beans into a savory, smoky and slightly sweet side dish. Made with simple ingredients and a few steps, these will pair great with almost any main.
Green bean casserole is a classic American side dish that is popular during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. The dish is made by combining cooked green beans with a creamy mushroom sauce, and then topped with crispy fried onions. I also like to a…
Green bean casserole is a classic American side dish that is popular during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. The dish is made by combining cooked green beans with a creamy mushroom sauce, and then topped with crispy fried onions. I also like to add toasted panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese that take the casserole to the… Take the stress out of planning Thanksgiving dinner with this done for you meal plan!
These Roasted Green Beans are the perfect side dish for any meal! This easy recipe is full of flavor – baked green beans are the best vegetable, especially when they’re covered in bacon and onions! I actually love vegetables however they’re cooked, roasting them is my absolute favorite. From broccoli to asparagus to green beans,…
These Roasted Green Beans are the perfect side dish for any meal! This easy recipe is full of flavor – baked green beans are the best vegetable, especially when they’re covered in bacon and onions!
I actually love vegetables however they’re cooked, roasting them is my absolute favorite. From broccoli to asparagus to green beans, roasting vegetables brings out a delicious flavor that’s so much better than just steaming or sautéing. I’ve discovered I like so many more vegetables when I roast them, including Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
This simple side dish is easy to prepare and even easier to clean up, and will add a bit of green on your dinner table. There are so many ways you can make these roasted green beans: with bacon, with onions, or even with parmesan. Adding the bacon makes it the ultimate comfort food side dish.
Make the perfect crunchy roasted green beans:
Using frozen green beans in this recipe: thaw and drain them. They will need less time to roast than fresh beans.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You’ll love this dish that’s full of protein!
You'll love this dish that's full of protein! Fall is near, but summer veggies are still here. Enter: A cozy soup with a mix of fall and summer produce! This easy, flavorful, 1-pot minestrone is LOADED with veggies and white beans for a fiber- and nutrient-packed dish.
It’s light yet satisfy…
Fall is near, but summer veggies are still here. Enter: A cozy soup with a mix of fall and summer produce! This easy, flavorful, 1-pot minestrone is LOADED with veggies and white beans for a fiber- and nutrient-packed dish.
It’s light yet satisfying, comes together with simple ingredients and methods, and is perfect for the seasonal transition. Grab your bread because soup is on!
We’ve shared a minestrone recipe before and this one is similar…but with a twist: potatoes instead of pasta!
Here’s how to make our favorite three bean salad recipe: a fresh spin on Grandma’s! It’s so easy to throw…
Here’s how to make our favorite three bean salad recipe: a fresh spin on Grandma’s! It’s so easy to throw together for picnics and potlucks. This is one of our top summer salads because it’s so easy to make, protein-packed, and fits many diets (vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free).
Here’s our favorite spin on that classic bean salad—you know, the kind at picnics and potlucks long into the cicada-buzzing summer? It seems like everyone has their own way to make this American classic.
Here’s our spin on the bean salad Alex and I grew up with, with a little more complexity and freshness. But don’t worry: it’s still an easy three bean salad that’s as easy as dump and stir. Is it actually better than Grandma’s? We think so. (Sorry, Grandma: don’t be offended!)
Our spin on three bean salad is just as easy to make as the 1950’s style classic. The main steps are “dump and stir”: literally open the bean cans and stir everything together! At the same time, we wanted to liven up the classic by cutting back on the sugar and adding some freshness. Here’s what you’ll need for this three bean salad:
Bean salad is a classic American salad of canned beans marinated in a vinaigrette. It’s a staple at picnics and potlucks because it doesn’t require refrigeration and can sit out in the heat for hours. This type of bean salad originated in the 1950’s, when recipes using canned beans started appearing in cookbooks (per this source).
Bean salad recipes vary and most cooks have their own regional spin. The most common ingredients are kidney beans, green beans, and garbanzo beans (it’s often called three bean salad). Other ingredients you’ll often see are pinto beans, wax beans, and onions. It’s almost always marinated in a dressing of vinegar, oil, sugar and salt.
You can eat your bean salad recipe right away and it tastes great. Or, pop it in the refrigerator to let it marinate for at least 1 hour, and it’s even better. The refrigeration time really lets the flavors soak in.
The end result? This recipe has half the sugar as the standard, but it’s just as delicious! It’s got all the classic elements so you feel like you’re eating Grandma’s. We’ll be eating this for years to come.
One area where home cooks can be tripped up: how to cut the onions into slivers! The cut that looks best in this bean salad recipe is different from the standard half-moon shape.
Some people call it French cut: it’s a way of making the onion slivers look attractive instead of long and floppy. Cut slices from the tip to the root—instead of through the middle. It’s easiest to explain by showing you: watch minute 1:40 of this How to Cut an Onion video!
You can store this homemade bean salad recipe refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. Like a pickle, the flavor gets better over time! It’s great for lunches throughout the week. Beans eventually spoil even when refrigerated, so we recommend not eating after 5 days.
We’re huge fans of this easy salad and it works for picnics, potlucks, summer grilled meals, and as a side any time of the year. It’s a protein-packed vegan side dish, so it helps to make any vegetarian or plant-based meal more filling. Here are a few other bean and legume-based salads you might enjoy:
This bean salad recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
A classic bean salad typically uses a combination of canned beans, such as kidney beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), and green beans. Some variations may also include wax beans or black beans.
You can use dried beans, but they will need to be cooked beforehand according to package directions. This will require additional preparation time compared to using canned beans. You also may need to adjust the salt quantities.
Keep in mind, one 15-ounce can is equal to 1 ½ cups cooked beans.
The dressing for a classic bean salad is usually a vinaigrette made with oil, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Common variations include adding Dijon mustard, herbs like parsley or dill, and spices like garlic powder or onion powder.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes 
Yield: 8 Here’s how to make our favorite three bean salad recipe: a fresh spin on Grandma’s! It’s so easy to throw together for picnics and potlucks. This is one of our top summer salads because it’s so easy to make, protein-packed, and fits many diets (vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free).
*Use standard white vinegar, not white wine vinegar!
Category: Side Dish
Method: Raw
Cuisine: Salad
Diet: VeganNiçoise salad is protein-packed, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying– perfect for meal prep to keep you full all week long.
The post Niçoise Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Springtime is salad season, and boy, do I have the perfect hearty salad for you! Niçoise salad is protein-packed, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying. It’s perfect for meal prep and will keep you full all week long. I love the mixture of textures and flavors in this salad, and while it takes a bit of work to make, it is so worth it! The hard-boiled eggs, protein-packed tuna, crispy green beans and creamy potatoes are the defining ingredients of this salad, in my opinion. The unique-yet-familiar ingredients are what make this salad a classic– and for good reason! This is one of the recipes I always whip out whenever I have a friend who could use a little meal prep TLC when they are super busy. Trust me, it’s a winner!
Niçoise salad is a filling and flavorful salad that traces its origins to Nice, France. The term “Niçoise” literally means, “in the style of Nice”. This tasty salad is chock full of tomatoes, onions, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, green beans, and roasted potatoes and is tossed in a light dressing. It makes a great meal prep lunch for the long week ahead! It’s a classic!
Here’s what you’ll need to make Niçoise salad:
Niçoise salad is pretty flavorful on its own, so I recommend a light dressing like a lemon vinaigrette that helps cut the richness and elevates the flavors. For something a little creamier, try our favorite lemon dill tahini dressing! Our honey mustard sauce pairs well, too!
Niçoise salad is a great vehicle to use up those veggies taking up space in the fridge (or pantry!). I like to add:
I recommend storing the salad separately from the dressing for the best results. The components will keep in separate air-tight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and can be tossed together before serving. If you’re meal prepping, add a bit of everything to your airtight containers and keep the dressing on the side. Then, just grab and go!
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Choose your favorite salad dressing.
Combine 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp dried dill in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Quarter the 1/2 lb baby potatoes, toss in the olive oil and herbs.
Air fry 1/2 lb quartered potatoes at 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through (OR roast the potatoes at 400°F until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.)
Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot or large saucepan. Remove any stems from green beens. Blanch 1 cup green beans by tossing them into the boiling water and then turning off the heat. Allow them to sit in the hot water for a very brief period of time, about 3 minutes, until they are bright green. Quickly, transfer them to an ice bath to stop them from cooking any further. Set aside.
Hard boil, peel, and halve 4 eggs. Chop 2 heads of romaine lettuce, halve 1 cup of grape tomatoes, julienne 1/2 a red onion, halve or quarter 7 radishes, peel and chop 1 cucumber, and strain 1/4 cup of olives.
Strain the 2 cans of tuna and break it apart with a fork.
Toss all ingredients together and lightly dress your salad. Finish with a crank of freshly ground pepper and sea salt.
The post Niçoise Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Perfect for an energizing lunch or a light dinner.
Perfect for an energizing lunch or a light dinner. Here’s how to steam vegetables to get them on the table fast! Use this method to avoid soggy and bland…
Here’s how to steam vegetables to get them on the table fast! Use this method to avoid soggy and bland veggies: here they turn out crisp tender and delicious every time.
Want to steam vegetables? We’re here to help! Steaming one of the quickest vegetable cooking methods there is. It also has a bad rap, since if not done properly it can result in overcooked, bland, and soggy veggies.
But guess what? If you cook them until crisp tender and season them correctly, the veggies come out delicious every time! Here’s our master method for how to steam vegetables: the right way.
First, you have a specific vegetable in mind, we’ve got several specific recipes for you. Pick from one of the methods below:
You’ll need a steamer basket or steamer pan to make this recipe. Here’s a steamer basket you can buy online that works for any pan you have. In these photos, you’ll see we used a skillet with a custom steamer basket. It’s an option too, but not required for steaming!
The most important thing to remember when steaming vegetables: don’t be tempted to overcook them. Steam the vegetables until they’re crisp tender. You’ll need to be ready to taste test, fork in hand! Cooking vegetables even a few minutes past the right timing makes them go from bright and crisp to faded and mushy. Here’s how to steam vegetables using a steamer basket:
Step 1: Chop the vegetables into uniform bite-sized pieces, which helps them to cook evenly. The thicker the vegetable, the longer it will take to cook. (This is important for hard vegetables like carrots: the smaller the pieces, the shorter the cook time.)
Step 2: Add 1 inch water to the bottom of the saucepan or pot, then place the steamer basket in the pot. The surface of the water should be just under the basket. Bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the vegetables to the basket and cover with a lid.
Step 3: Cook covered, until just tender when pricked with a fork. As a rule of thumb, broccoli takes 3 to 5 minutes, green beans and carrots 4 to 5 minutes, and cauliflower 10 to 12 minutes. (See the Vegetable Timing Chart below.) Taste test to be sure; the exact cook time varies based on the thickness and maturity of the vegetable.
Step 4: Carefully remove the veggies to a bowl, then toss with a bit of olive oil or butter and kosher salt. If you’d like, add flavor by using fresh lemon juice, fresh herbs, feta cheese crumbles, or other spices.
Each vegetable takes a different amount of time to steam. Here is a chart with the approximate timing for common vegetables:
Steaming vegetables is a fantastic way to make them into a quick and easy side dish! Here are a few more of our favorite side dish resources:
Steaming uses steam to cook vegetables, preserving more nutrients and their vibrant colors compared to boiling. Boiling vegetables can leach out vitamins and minerals into the water.
No! You can easily steam vegetables at home with basic kitchen equipment. A pot with a lid and a steamer basket or colander that fits snugly inside will do the trick.
Cut vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces for even cooking. This ensures all pieces cook through at the same time.
You only need a small amount of water – about 1-2 inches – in the bottom of the pot. The vegetables steam from the rising steam, not by being submerged in water.
Cooking time depends on the type and thickness of the vegetables. Tender vegetables like asparagus or green beans will cook in just a few minutes, while denser vegetables like carrots or potatoes will take longer. See the Vegetable Timing Chart above!
The vegetables should be tender-crisp, with a slight bite when pierced with a fork.
You can, but keep in mind the vegetables will come out with a soft texture. Shorten the cook time by a few minutes and taste test to assess doneness.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Total Time: 4 minute
Yield: Varies Here’s how to steam vegetables to get them on the table fast! Use this method to avoid soggy and bland veggies: here they turn out crisp tender and delicious every time.
Category: Side DishMethod: SteamedCuisine: VegetablesKeywords: How to Steam Vegetables
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