I served two different sides at our recent party, and didn’t realize until they were on the table that they were both beans, LOL! No worries, they’re both great. As we take a break from home decor to chat about food, here’s a bean twofer!

Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic

This is my go-to dish anytime I find myself in a potluck situation, because (a) it’s fantastic; (b) droves of people consistently seek out the recipe, so you know it’s a winner; and (c) it can be served at room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about it getting cold. The big thing to note is that the lemon juice and cider vinegar need to be held back until you’re ready to serve…otherwise, your beans will turn brown and look gross. Everything else up to that point can be done the night before.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds tender young green beans, washed and tipped
3 quarts boiling water plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander (the dried won’t do)
5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Cook the beans in the boiling salted water in a large covered saucepan over moderate heat 10 to 12 minutes until tender.

2. Meanwhile, place the garlic and coriander in a large heat-proof bowl.

3. As soon as the beans are done, drain well, return to moderate heat, and shake the pan 30 to 40 seconds to drive off all excess moisture.

4. Dump the hot beans on top of the garlic and coriander and let stand 10 minutes. Add 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss well to mix; cover and marinate in the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.

5. About 45 minutes before serving, bring the beans from the refrigerator and let stand, still covered, on the counter.

6. Just before serving, add the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, and the pepper. Toss well, taste, and add more vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, if needed.

This recipe was discovered on Epicurious.

Summer Bean Salad

For those of you who attended the party, I apologize for nixing the avocado due to time constraints. It makes this bean salad so creamy and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can fat free reduced sodium black beans
1 can chickpeas
1 can fat free reduced sodium kidney beans
2 cups shelled edamame (I used the frozen variety)
1 small tomato, chopped
1 avocado, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime
Salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Drain and rinse the three canned beans and place them, along with the edamame, in a large bowl.

2. Add the tomato, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, and avocado. Squeeze the juice of the lime over the avocado to help keep it from browning.

3. Mix everything thoroughly, and salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe was discovered at Mom-Machine.com.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Food Finale: Cupcake Extravaganza!