Zox Kitchen: November 22, 2013

Indian, Syrian And American Green Bean Recipes

As we move closer to the holidays, we look forward to the side dishes that come with our favorite entrees. They are no less popular for many of us than the entrees themselves. Some of my favorites include oyster stuffing; tomato pudding; cranberry salsa; poblano or jalapeno cornbread; roasted Brussels sprouts; honey and carrots; mashed potatoes, parsnips and turnips with roasted garlic and buttermilk with, oh yes, Turkey as well. Personally, I love preparing an array of side dishes which invariably fill me up in extraordinarily satisfying ways — often leaving little room for the bird.

Peas and beans are among these side dishes and we have learned that as members of the legume family, peas and beans are among the third largest family in the vegetable kingdom behind the vanilla bean and the sunflower family. Further we have learned that legumes contain many extraordinary attributes such as being high in nutrition as an anti-oxidant, an anti-inflammatory, and as a cardiovascular benefit. Green beans in particular may also be a helpful food for providing us with the mineral silicon which is very important for bone health and for healthy formation of connective tissue. In fact, beans are noteworthy for being among the oldest cultivated plants that have replaced meat and nurtured people throughout history. Further they contain low to moderate GLI numbers (Glycemic Indices) while containing a lot of protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber.