With summer comes the sweetness of the earth and all the abundance
and choices we have to be creative and to feed our bodies and our souls.
There are so many choices, you could eat a different meal every day probably
forever, and never be bored, always pushing the boundary to
add your own flair to each dish.
Just a few simple steps and this comes together, it can be made a day ahead,
ingredients can be adjusted, omitted or added,
according to your dietary preferences. Anyone can make this!
The amounts will vary depending upon individual tastes. Some might want more
tomato, others mainly green beans, and still others may not want
any mozzarella. This is where you use your own judgement for amounts but
the process is the same no matter what the end result looks like.
LET’S GET STARTED WITH THE HOW-TO!
Boil some water, drop in green beans, ~ 1 lb. (if making for a few people)
Blanch (let boil in water for ~ 6 min.)
Drain in colander and place the colander in a big bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Spread the green beans onto a kitchen towel in a single layer
Gently roll the towel loosely and press gently to squeeze out the water.
Let the beans sit on the towel while you prepare the other ingredients.
Chop up desired amount of tomato, salt and let sit to allow for some water to come out of them.
Cut up your mozzarella into bite-sized bits.
Prepare your balsamic vinairgrette, oil/vinegar mixture, or your dressing of choice.
In a large bowl, combine green beans, tomato, and cheese,
add salt and pepper to taste, then add enough dressing to coat everything.
A little at time is the best method to avoid over-dressing.
You can always server dressing on the side so people
can add more if they need.
For this version, I toasted some almonds in a dry pan on the stovetop
to add some crunch and nutty flavor.
Another version could be to add thinly-sliced
red onion and serve with wild rice. The mozzy
was omitted here for a vegan option.
Have fun with this, sub snap peas or broccoli or zucchini,
use a different type of cheese, use try-color heirloom
tomatoes for added color and nutrients, switch up the
nut options to pistachio or pecan, add seeds.
I get bored very easily so in the kitchen I get to be as creative
as the ingredient list is long.
Don’t get into the same old patterns with food, mix it up, jazz it up,
have fun and begin to expand your options so you
can eat a different meal every day FOREVER!
