I know what you're thinking. Bacon? On a "lite" food blog?
Ummm, no. Hear me out.
I've made it my personal mission to get people to eat more vegetables. I'm also trying to raise my kids to eat what they are served without complaint -- impossible, I know, but a girl can dream.
And as if those 2 things weren't enough, I've taken on the challenge of belonging to a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where I'm pretty much at the mercy of what's in season and what I get in my basket weekly.
Last week we got 2 pounds of green beans.
I was ecstatic. I LOVE fresh green beans. The Husband? Not so much.
The kids are indifferent. They will eat them, but honestly, I think they actually prefer canned.
Regardless, I was on a mission to make the best, most tastiest green beans ever to convert The Husband into a green bean lover. What better way to do that then with bacon?
Right?
I figured the little bit of fat the bacon would add was a small price to pay to make the tastiest green beans ever and I was right! These things are amazing! Even the 8-year-old thought so. He couldn't even wait to try one while I was snapping photos.
The 2-year-old also enjoyed quite a few with dinner. The Husband?
I believe the conversation went something like…
The Husband: But they are still green beans.
Me: I know, but green beans with BACON!
The Husband: Still green beans.
Me: Come one just try one. They were cooked with BACON!
The 8-year-old: Yeah, Dad, try one. They are really good!
side note… I wish I had the camera ready when he took the bite. His face was priceless.
The Husband: Yup. Still a green bean. I hate green beans.
Me: (Sigh) OK.
Oh, well. I tried.
More for me anyway. 🙂
Here's what I did …
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans with the stem side snapped off
- 1 slice of uncooked bacon
- Kosher salt
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the slice of bacon in the skillet.
Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and a pinch of salt.
Remove the bacon from the skillet and lower the heat to medium or medium-low just to keep the fat warm.
Cook the green beans to your desired doneness. I like mine a little firm, so I pulled them at about the 4 minutes mark.
Drain the beans and toss them on a kitchen towel to absorb some of the moister.
Turn up the heat under the skillet with the bacon fat to medium-high.
Add the green beans to the skillet and toss coating them in the bacon fat and scorching a few.
While the green beans are cooking a bit more in the skillet, chop the cooked bacon.
Toss the green beans a few more times and then pile them on a plate. Top with the chopped bacon.
I don't have a photo of the complete dinner because I actually made these ahead. They reheated beautifully in a warm oven, and I served them with baked potatoes and steak, all of which came from my CSA share as did the bacon. It was a totally regional meal. I love that!
📖 Recipe
Green Beans and Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans with the stem side snapped off
- 1 slice of uncooked bacon
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook the slice of bacon in the skillet.1 slice of uncooked bacon
- Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and a pinch of salt.1 lb fresh green beans with the stem side snapped off, Kosher salt
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and lower the heat to medium or medium-low just to keep the fat warm.
- Cook the green beans to your desired doneness. I like mine a little firm, so I pulled them at about the 4 minutes mark.
- Drain the beans and toss them on a kitchen towel to absorb some of the moister.
- Turn up the heat under the skillet with the bacon fat to medium-high.
- Add the green beans to the skillet and toss coating them in the bacon fat and scorching a few.
- While the green beans are cooking a bit more in the skillet, chop the cooked bacon.
- Toss the green beans a few more times and then pile them on a plate. Top with the chopped bacon.
NJ
The only way my husband eats green beans is cooked with bacon, seasonings and water in a crock pot for at least 2 days and they are totally unrecognizable. He then eats them with vinegar. He says this is southern cooking..................
Jamie
That is totally the southern way. My brother will actually eat them cooked in chicken broth now instead of all the grease....but I still eat vinegar on mine regardless of the way they are cooked.
Gudie
Love green beans, am lucky, my husband does too, probably the only one he likes, will definitely try with bacon. So glad I found your site, I still count my WW points, so it is very helpful to see calorie and points. THANKS.
Liz
I do this a lot with Brussels sprouts. They can be bitter on their own, but when roasted with some onions, garlic and two slices of center cut bacon (less fat than other bacon) its tasty and I eat a huge helping of greens!
Barb
We love green beans with bacon - next time add minced garlic - yum! Also try the green beans roasted in the oven - we like them even better.
Lisa Burke
We should not feel bad about eating bacon. I believe that is not a bad thing. As long as we don't eat everything drenched in grease. Enjoy some. That turkey bacon is worse. Have you ever seen the salt in it? Enjoy girl!
Laura
I have to agree with hubby here - I hate green beans. I know they are healthy, I know they are on every menu when eating out. I force them down...but it doesn't matter how they are fixed - I HATE them, lol!!
Rosemary
Next time fake him out with yellow beans when they're in season. They're not GREEN! Still a bean though.
roni
Great idea! lol