Thank you all so so much for your kind comments and words of encouragement on my last post!! I love knowing that I have some awesome blogger friends to cheer me up and give me great advice.
When I was growing up, my mother always made sure to serve a vegetable with dinner. Most of the time, that meant taking a bag of green beans out of the freezer and microwaving them. I never ate much of them. It wasn’t until years later that I realized you can do so much with vegetables, the green side dish at the dinner table doesn’t have to be a microwaved afterthought.
It’s been a little project of mine recently to use up some of the things stashed in the back of our freezer, as it’s starting to overflow. To my dismay, I found one bag of green beans. After making the recipe I’m about to share with you, I wish I had several bags stashed back there!
And this ingredient made all the difference:
Apple wine vinegar with lingonberry. I got this at Ikea. I almost walked right past it. So glad I didn’t. I originally bought it for salads and vinaigrettes, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to splash a little in my green beans.
Oooooohhhhhhh mmmyyyy goooooddnnessss you guys, it’s amazing. Even my brother, who self diagnosed himself with dead tastebuds asked what was in the green beans. It oddly adds a sweetness to it, with a slightly tangy apple taste, and just a hint of lingonberry. I can’t get over it. I wish I had bought a case of the stuff.
Anywho, back to the beans.
Apple Lingonberry Vinegar Green Beans
16 oz. frozen green beans
1 clove garlic, chopped
1T olive oil
2T buter (futter, margarine, your choice) -optional
2T apple wine vinegar with lingonberry (Or you could try using any fun vinegar you have!)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Salt and Pepper, to taste
First, you want to sauté the garlic in the oil. I may or may not have added a little more garlic than one clove. What can I say, I love garlic.
mmmm. Love the smell of garlic cooking!
Then, you add the green beans. If you’ve already thawed them out, you won’t need to cook them as long. Saute them for 5-7 seven minutes if they’re still frozen. Add the butter. This step is optional, but I think it adds some richness.
Let the butter melt, Then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the almonds. They add a fun crunch! Saute for 2-3 more minutes, then you’re ready to serve them!
If you want, you can cook them a little longer, depending on how you like your green beans. I normally like mine to have a little crunch left in them, so I don’t cook them as long.
Are there any ingredients that make all the difference in a dish you make? A condiment you just couldn’t live without?
Whoa! I need to get to an Ikea – fast!
Hmm… my “one” ingredient is usually cinnamon! It tends to work with oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, (some) savory foods (like tofu, chili, squash, etc), chocolate, vanilla, the list goes on… just a healthy pinch of the stuff from Saigon and my taste buds go to a magical land! Now I’m super curious about this lingonberry vinegar, though — I’ll look for it then next time I’m at IKEA.
Btw, do you remember, like, forever ago, when you posted about Trader Joe’s Cookie Spread? I FINALLY got my hands on a jar! Then I, like, um, ate it in about 4 days. Now I’m self-banned from getting it again, but MY GOD it was good. You always find the tastiest stuff to talk about!
aahhhhh haha yes!! That stuff is like heaven on earth! And I’m always on the lookout for delicious things. I always tell my mom that if I’m going down for one of the seven deadly sins, gluttony is definitly it.
I love vinegar! I’m actually thinking about making my own. I’ve looked into it and everything just wanting until I have some time to begin the project! I couldn’t live without lemons. I’ve been squeezing some lemon juice over EVERYTHING lately from veggies, to meats, to breads, and water. Just love the summery tartness!
Interesting vinegar… I’ve never heard of lingonberry before. I hope I can lay my hands on the vinegar sometime!
Woah, that’s so interesting! I remember I cam across lingonberry jam a few year ago, and I was convinced I ha to order it off Amazon! Luckily I never did, but still. I need to get me to an Ikea!
One thing I don’t think I could live without is nut butter.
I never thought about cooking with my apple vinegar. I think I have only ever used it in salad dressings! I will certainly put it over veggies in the future! Though mine is only store-brand apple vinegar, not a cook Swedish lingonberry-infused one!
blehh.