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Green Beans!!! Do I need to soak them!?

10K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Gale Force 
#1 ·
My delivery messed up and I got green beans. Which is okay...I like green beans. But now I don't know what would be the NT way to cook them. They are whole string beans...fresh, not cut up or anything. Do I soak them? How do I cook these darn things up? Thanks!!!!

 
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#2 ·
Good question. Personally, I'd just cook them and eat them.

They probably are high in phytates though I don't know that I have seen values for them. It is hard to break down phytates in beans without fermenting them. Soy is the standout in that regard, but all beans are difficult compared to grains. It's probably the extra surface area in the grains because if your grind grains you can break down phytates faster and more thoroughly. In any case, I think it would be hard to break down the phytates in green beans unless you ferment them. So, that's the gold standard option for you. Otherwise, just cook them and enjoy the summer crop. Their phytic acid level is not so high that it keeps you from absorbing minerals from other foods, so they won't be stealing from other foods.
 
#3 ·
I suspect that immature seeds (like in green beans) don't pose all the same problems as mature seeds (dry beans, grains, etc.), it's mostly the pod you're eating at that stage. NT has green bean recipes that don't call for any special processing, aside from French cutting them, meaning thinly sliced on the diagonal before cooking. Sally seems to have a poor opinion of whole green beans (standard ones, anyway, not French haricots verts which are harvested tiny and very tender), she calls them "tough and unappetizing", which makes me think she's never had good ones. I love fresh green beans straight from the garden, don't find them tough or unappetizing at all. Anyway, no special steps are necessary, you can just steam and serve with butter, or however else you like them. If they are actually "string" beans, pull the strings off (snap the stem end and pull towards the other end), and if they're not still small and tender French cutting them can't hurt (with a slicer blade in a food processor would be much faster than by hand).
 
#4 ·
That's a good point AJP about the pod. So the percent phytates should be fairly low in any case and worrying about them is probably drowning in a teacup.

I wonder how they are fermented. We make a green bean salad with potatoes, salmon or tuna, tomatoes, capers, and whatever else we have that fits. It would probably be very good with fermented beans.
 
#6 ·
Cool. I'm going to try it this summer. I've got the book, so I'm good to go. Thanks!
 
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