Move over Doritos! Get out of here Bagel Bites! Got you beat, baby carrots! I find these to be quite an addictive finger food. They are a perfect summer appetizer, seasonal, chilled, and good for you. What’s wrong with a pile of green beans before dinner? Nothing! What’s right about a pile of green beans before dinner? Refreshing. Tasty. A little bit of a crunch. Lots of color. A bit of red onion. A hint of mint. Very Yum 🙂

This recipe makes a lot of green beans! Unless you are serving an army of healthy eaters, I might be tempted to say make half a recipe. But, on-the-other-hand, Costco sells green beans washed and trimmed in a 2 lb. bag, and you can just snip the corner and zap for 8 minutes! How convenient is that?! And leftovers do keep well for a week or so. My kids hardly complain if they find a few chopped up in their salad or added to a pasta dish.

This recipe is from Epicurious.com. I’ve been making it for about four years now, and I make it as an appetizer for almost every large summer gathering.

Chilled Green Beans for Snacking

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. green beans, left whole, but ends trimmed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS

1. If you buy the 2 lbs. of green beans from Costco, cook according to the package directions. For other green beans, cook in a large kettle of boiling, salted water for 2-4 minutes or until they are crisp tender.
2. Transfer hot green beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry.
3. Wrap the drained green beans in paper towel and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
4. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
5. Mix the green beans, chopped mint, and red onion with the dressing—cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Enjoy!

And thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!