Bacon Green Beans

 It's not Thanksgiving in my house without some bacon green beans.  My mother made these for us (and still does) every year for Thanksgiving.  They are such a hit that sometimes she has to make 2 batches of them.  My mom bakes hers in the oven, but I didn't have any room in the oven so I made mine over the stove.  These are fresh and absolutely delicious. 

We didn't have any leftovers!

Ingredients:
6c freshly washed and trimmed green beans (I bought 2 packages at the store)
1/2lb nitrate free bacon
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1tbs minced garlic
A pat of butter (optional)
a dash or two of white wine vinegar
sea salt to taste

Direcitons:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Throw in the green beans and boil 3-5 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender.  Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook your bacon over medium in a pan.  When browned and finished, move to a paper towel lined plate and crumble.  Pour out all but 2tbs bacon grease.
3. Add your onion and garlic to the bacon pan and cook until soft.  Add a pat of butter if desired.
4. When the onions are soft, add the green beans and toss thoroughly with the onions and garlic.  Cook a few minutes to warm.  Add a dash of white wine vinegar and add sea salt as needed.  Serve with crumbled bacon on top. 

French Green Beans with Sauteed Onions and Almonds

It is officially fall and all I can think about is Thanksgiving food (as noted by my obsessive use of pumpkin, turkey and fall vegetables).  I absolutely love Thanksgiving green beans, but I honestly don't make them that often and I have no idea why not.  For these beans, I used a frozen package of French Green Beans from Trader Joe's and then tossed them with some butter, sauteed onions and toasted almonds.  What a wonderful side to any meal!  Not quite the traditional bacon roasted green beans my mother makes over the holidays (that recipe is yet to come!), but still delicious.  I hope you enjoy these as much I as do.

Brightly colored crisp-tender green beans are a simple elegant side to any dish

Ingredients:
1/2 package of Trader Joe's Frozen French Green Beans
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin
1tbs butter, preferably organic or grass fed
1tsp minced garlic
3tbs sliced almonds, toasted in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes or until fragrant

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Add green beans and boil 5 minutes (do not overcook!).
2. Drain the beans and then quickly pour them into a large bowl of ice water (this will make them stay a vibrant green color).
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent and browning.  Add the cooked green beans, stirring until fully incorporated with the onions.  Add the almonds and stir well until the entire dish is hot and ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Red Chicken Curry with Green Beans and Peppers

I absolutely love curry.  I was first introduced to it on the little island of Curacao a few years ago and I was hooked.  In fact, my husband and I ate Christmas dinner at an Indian restaurant in Curacao in 2008.  It's rich complex flavors, big meaty chunks and tons of veggies make it the perfect meal.  This curry is a tomato based curry that is a little more mild in flavors than some of my other curries.  It's full of meat and veggies with a touch of creaminess from the coconut.  Traditionally, curries are served with warm Jasmine rice.  I served mine with Cauliflower "Rice" which is more Paleo frienly.  Either way, this is a simple dish for all to enjoy. 

Curries are such a versatile delicious one pot meal!

Ingredients:
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2" chunks
1 red onion, chopped
1tbs minced garlic
3tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1tbs curry powder
2tsp cumin
2tsp tumeric
1tsp coriander
1tsp cayenne pepper
1tbs lemongrass
1/2tsp cinnamon
2tsp paprika
1/4tsp dry mustard
1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
1c coconut milk
1c chicken stock
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
12oz green beans, washed, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
1/4c lemon juice (to add at the end)

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix tomato sauce, coconut milk, chicken stock, and spices.  Add some salt.
2. In slow cooker, add veggies at the bottom.  Mix in the garlic, ginger and jalapeno.  Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on top.  Pour the sauce mixture over the entire dish, covering evenly.
3. Cook on high 3 or 4 hours or on low 5 or 6.  It's done when the chicken is cooked through and tender.  Adjust seasonings and salt as needed.  Stir in lemon juice at the end.  Serve with rice or cauliflower "rice."

Balsamic Baked Mahi Mahi with Roasted Green Beans & Bacon Potatoes

The weather is cooler and the trees are changing colors.  It's finally starting to look like fall, which has me thinking about the holidays.  Lately I have been reminiscing over my mother's Thanksgiving green beans.  I haven't been home for Thanksgiving for years, but I know she still makes a huge pile of bacon baked green beans and my family eats them all!  I decided to roast some green beans in olive oil and garlic and then top them with crumbled bacon.  Of course, I added a sauteed bacon potato medley to the dish too and topped it off with a big fillet of marinated mahi mahi.  Oh how I wish I had leftovers to eat it again today!   It was incredible. 

Why does bacon make everything better?!

Ingredients:
2 large fillets mahi mahi, or other mild fish
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/4c balsamic vinegar
2tsp minced garlic
2tsp fresh basil
1tsp dried rosemary
2tsp soy sauce
6 slices uncured nitrate free bacon
1tbs butter
6-8 baby medley potatoes (yellow, red and purple), washed and cut lengthwise into 4 pieces each
1 package fresh pre-washed and trimmed green beans
2tsp minced garlic
sea salt, to taste

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, basil, rosemary and soy sauce.  Place fish in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade.  Let marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
2. Preheat your oven to 400F.
3. Heat a large saute pan with some water and a steamer basket inside to high.  When boiling, add potatoes, cover with a lid and turn to medium low.  Let steam about 10 minutes or until just done when pierced with a fork.  Set aside.
4. Toss green beans with a little olive oil and some minced garlic.  Place them on a baking sheet and then into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned, cooked and sizzling.
5. Also place mahi mahi in the oven on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes per inch at the thickest part (for mine it took 20 minutes).  You know it's done when it flakes easily with a fork.
6. Meanwhile, cook up the bacon in a pan.  Crumble the bacon.  Pour out the oil.  Then add a pat of butter and saute the potatoes with a bit more garlic in the pan until the potatoes are nice and crispy (this takes me about 10 minutes).
7. When everything is done, pour the potatoes into the baking sheet and toss with the green beans.  Top with the crumbled bacon.  Serve with mahi mahi on top.  So good!