Green beans contain a huge amount of vitamins, micro- and macroelements necessary for the normal course of biochemical processes in the body. In addition, it contains a huge amount of plant protein, which can almost completely fill the deficiency of the protein component of animal origin. That is why this type of legume is widely used not only in classical, but also in vegetarian cuisine. When cooked correctly, beans almost completely retain all their beneficial properties.
How to cook green beans while dieting
Green beans are one of the favorite delicacies of women who strictly watch their figure. While on a diet, it can be consumed in any form: boiled, steamed and even fried. This is due to the minimum calorie content of the product. In addition, it has a low glycemic index (virtually no sugars), and therefore is used in therapeutic dietary nutrition, for example, for diabetics.
If you follow a diet, salads and green bean soups will not only prevent you from adding extra pounds, but will also speed up their burning by activating metabolic reactions.
Read: Green bean recipes
During the diet, it is recommended to eat boiled or steamed green beans. Preference is given to the latter, since during cooking the product loses more valuable properties than when steamed.
Beans are prepared during the diet as follows:
- rinsed thoroughly under running water;
- soaked for 2 hours in water - this rule applies only to grafted beans;
- long pods are cut into shorter pieces;
- the beans are boiled or steamed;
- It is mandatory to add a few drops of olive oil to it for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
If you are on a diet, you should not eat pickled and canned beans.
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Features of choosing ingredients
Choose only fresh ingredients for your dish. Beans should be stored in the freezer for no more than 6 months. Buy high-quality butter without third-party flavors.
Substituting Ingredients
The necessary products are not always available at home. If you don’t have butter, you can replace it with any vegetable oil - olive, sunflower. To enhance the taste, add soy sauce. When mixed with oil, it tastes great. Add garlic to taste - this is not only a healthy ingredient. It also adds flavor to the finished dish.
Frozen beans are a healthy product. Frozen vegetables are quite easy to prepare. In just 15 minutes you will have a complete lunch and dinner.
How and how much to cook green beans
Fresh green beans should be cooked for no more than 5-7 minutes to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins and valuable substances. If we are talking about a frozen product, then its heat treatment should last 10-12 minutes after the water boils.
Before cooking, fresh beans must be thoroughly washed and sorted. Cut off the ends of the pods on both sides, then remove the plant fibers from each pod. Fill with water above the level of the beans themselves. After cooking, add salt.
Cooking frozen beans is slightly different. First you need to boil the water, then put the beans there, wait for it to boil again, and from that moment count down the required 10 minutes. Salt and other spices are added not after cooking, but during.
What are the benefits of boiled green beans?
Boiled beans are widely used in preventive and therapeutic dietary nutrition. This is due to the low calorie content and low glycemic index of the product. The last parameter is especially important for people suffering from diabetes.
In addition, it can be used by pregnant women who do not have digestive problems as a dish for fasting days, if prescribed by the doctor monitoring the course of pregnancy.
Read: How to cook broccoli and green beans
Young green beans, which are cooked for no more than 7 minutes, practically do not lose their multivitamin value. For the body, this product is necessary as a source of vitamins, especially B vitamins. Vitamins of this group have a beneficial effect on the nervous and circulatory systems.
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Is it possible to cook green beans for cholecystitis and pancreatitis?
Despite all the benefits of the product, it is highly not recommended to use it for diseases such as cholecystitis and pancreatitis. Eating this product, especially during periods of exacerbation of diseases, can cause complications of clinical symptoms and the emergence of new complaints in the patient. This is due to the fact that this type of legume is a rather difficult product to digest.
If pancreatitis is in remission, you can eat green bean dishes, but only boiled and without adding spices.
Selection and preparation for cooking
Choose young pods that are bright or light green. They should be slightly curved and approximately the same size. The beans are dense to the touch and easily break in half. These beans are the most delicious and cook faster.
Yellow dry pods are not suitable for food: even after heat treatment they will remain tough.
Preparation before cooking:
- Sort through the beans, remove too old or spoiled fruits;
- tear off the vein connecting the two parts of the pod and the tail, which can be easily removed if pulled sharply in the opposite direction;
- rinse the beans thoroughly under cold running water;
- If desired, cut the pods into small pieces.
How to grow green beans
Green beans are heat-loving crops, so planting should begin only when the ground has warmed up well. This time falls on the last days of May or the beginning of June. Sandy soil is considered favorable for growing this plant.
In order for the beans to germinate earlier, it is recommended to warm the bed a few days before planting by covering the ground with film or using special liquid watering agents.
A prerequisite that must be observed is pre-soaking the bean seeds. It is best to keep the seeds soaked until sprouts appear.
After planting, the bed is watered and covered with humus and straw. During plant growth, it is necessary to provide it with optimal temperature and water conditions.
Read: Proteins in green beans
The harvest should not be delayed. Therefore, it should be collected as soon as the fruits are finally formed. The optimal collection time is considered to be a cool morning.
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Vitamins
| Vitamins | Quantity | Norm |
| Vitamin A | 67 mcg | 900 mcg |
| beta carotene | 0.4 mg | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.1 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.2 mg | 1.8 mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.2 mg | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.16 mg | 2 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 36 mcg | 400 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 20 mg | 90 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.3 mg | 15 mg |
| Vitamin PP | 0.9 mg | 20 mg |
How to pickle green beans
Pickled green beans have a bright and interesting taste, and therefore every lover of this legume should try to cook it this way. For this you need:
- green beans – 500 mg is enough;
- vegetable oil – 50 g;
- lemon juice – 2 tbsp. spoons. If it is not available, you can replace it with apple cider vinegar;
- garlic – 4-5 small cloves;
- fresh dill;
- salt.
After the ingredients have been selected to prepare the marinated dish, you need to follow the recipe step by step:
- Boil the bean pods in slightly salted water for no more than 7 minutes, then strain and cool;
- mix lemon juice, vegetable oil, finely chopped dill and chopped garlic;
- the resulting marinade is poured into a container with beans, everything is thoroughly mixed;
- The dish is placed in the refrigerator overnight.
To give the pickled beans more piquancy, you can deviate from the recipe and add more garlic. You can add dried cloves, bay leaves and a few peppercorns.
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What are the benefits of pickled green beans?
Pickled green beans, unlike canned ones, retain more nutrients. Pickled green beans can be used as an integral component of complex recipes, or eaten as an independent dish.
Beans pickled for the winter are an excellent source of vitamins C, A, E, which help maintain the body’s immune strength during periods of hypo- and vitamin deficiency.
In a steamer
This cooking method is suitable for lovers of healthy dietary dishes.
Recipe:
- Rinse the pods and leave for a while to remove excess moisture.
- Pour water into the special compartment.
- Place the beans in a steamer bowl in 1-2 layers.
- Select the minimum setting and set the timer depending on the size and maturity of the pods.
- Bring the product to readiness.
You can steam beans even without a special device.
Cooking method:
- Pour some water into a regular container to create a water bath.
- Place the pods in a colander and place it on the pan.
- Cover with a lid.
- After 5-7 minutes, check the beans for doneness.
How to can canning green beans
Beans of any degree of maturity can be canned, but in order for the beans to be tender and tasty, it is recommended to use young plants.
Read: Recipes for green beans with mushrooms
There are many simple and more complex ways to preserve green beans for the winter. Here is one of them, distinguished by its originality:
- 1 kg of green beans should be thoroughly washed and cut into cubes no more than 3 cm in length;
- prepare the brine: boil a liter of water, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of salt, leave on the fire for 5 minutes, then remove;
- First thoroughly wash and dry the pickling container, then place 6 bay leaves, a bunch of basil and any spices to taste on the bottom;
- compact the bean pods into a jar and fill with brine so that it completely covers the pods;
- close with a nylon or iron sterilized lid.
Benefits of canned green beans
During the process of preservation and storage, canned green beans lose some of their precious properties. But, nevertheless, many vitamins remain in sufficient concentration to meet the body’s needs in the autumn-winter period.
Green beans prepared by preservation not only supply the body with vitamins B, C, PP, A, etc. in winter, but also improve the functioning of the circulatory system, and also have a beneficial effect on digestion, especially with reduced secretory function of the stomach.
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In a saucepan
The easiest way is to cook in a saucepan.
Cooking sequence:
- Fill the container with water at the rate of 3 liters per 1 kg of beans. A sufficient amount of liquid will ensure that the product retains its shape and color during cooking.
- After boiling, add salt in a ratio of 10 g per 1 liter.
- Place fresh beans in boiling water.
- When everything comes to a boil, cook the pods over low heat.
- Cook without stirring the contents of the pan.
- Using a colander, remove the finished pods from the boiling water and rinse them with cold water.
- Season the dish with spices and vegetable oil.
Do not place frozen beans in boiling water. This will lower the water temperature and extend the cooking time. First, defrost the pods or pour boiling water over them.
If you need beans for a salad, boil them 2-3 minutes less. This way it will remain firm and not boil over.
How to prepare Stewed Green Beans
There are many options for stewing beans: it can be cooked and served as an independent dish as a side dish, or it can be cooked together with other vegetables and meat. One of the simplest and most common recipes for stewed beans is as follows:
- Cut 1 onion into half rings, chop 1 carrot in a blender or grate on a fine grater. Fry these components in vegetable (preferably olive) oil, adding the onion a few minutes before the carrots;
- add 400 grams of green beans, salt;
- pour 300 ml of water into the vegetable mixture;
- add 3 tbsp. spoons of tomato paste;
- cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
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Warm salad with chicken and green beans
For the warm salad you will need:
- chicken fillet - 300 g;
- frozen green beans - 300 g;
- bell pepper - 1 piece;
- onion - 2 small onions;
- garlic - 2-3 cloves;
- vegetable oil - 3-4 tbsp;
- soy sauce - 2 tbsp;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Algorithm of actions:
- Preparation of ingredients. Vegetables are peeled, washed and cut. The fillet is washed and cut into small pieces.
- In a heated frying pan, fry the pieces of chicken fillet until cooked.
- Fry the onion and bell pepper in a frying pan.
- Add green beans and fry everything together for another 3 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic, soy sauce and chicken to the prepared vegetables.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the ingredients over low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Warm green bean salad is ready to eat. It is allowed to cool slightly and the dish is served warm.
