Recipes

Beans with Minty Yogurt Sauce

Add some zest and minty zip to your beans with this deliciously simple recipe

By Carolyn Herriot /

Credit: Christina Symons

With just a little bit of preparation, you can make a lively bean dish

Looking to punch up your freshly picked beans? Prepare them with a zesty yogurt sauce with hints of mint

There’s nothing nicer than fresh-picked beans from the garden, whether they are runner beans, bush beans or pole beans.

Says Carolyn Herriot, author of The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook:

“I love eating fresh-picked green beans, but serving them this way elevates the experience to a delicious new level.”

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (454 gr) green beans, topped and tailed
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) almond or extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) white wine vinegar
  • 4 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 sweet pepper, thinly sliced

Mint Dressing

  • ½ cup (125 mL) plain yogourt
  • ½ cup (125 mL) sour cream
  • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) paprika
  • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) grated lime rind
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) liquid honey
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
  • 1Tbsp (15 mL) fresh mint, washed and finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Steam the beans for 8 minutes or until just tender.
  2. Leave to cool.
  3. Whisk the oil, garlic and vinegar in a bowl. Add the beans, green onions and peppers. Marinate for 2 hours or more.
  4. For the dressing, combine all the listed ingredients and blend to a smooth consistency. Serve drizzled over beans.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Zero-Mile Diet Advocate Carolyn Herriot Heads to the Kootenays

Carolyn Herriot — an expert gardener, food activist, cook and seed producer — will be touring the Kootenays this September.

Says Carolyn, “What an honour and what joy to be invited on a speaking tour of the Kootenays to share my experience of Zero-Mile Living. I will be heading to Kaslo, Salmo, Creston, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Sparwood, Fruitvale and Grand Forks on a trip that is as much about learning as sharing. I am on a quest to discover how British Columbians are preparing for an uncertain future by creating a life of greater self reliance.”

Carolyn is a devoted proponent of zero-mile living, and she shares her vast knowledge in her book, The Zero-Mile Diet, and its companion, The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook, which is full of fantastic ideas for indulging in meals that use homegrown ingredients.

On her tour, Carolyn will be speaking about sustainable living and delicious food, and how the two go hand-in-hand. She will also be signing copies of her books, and will be available to answer any questions about gardening, preserving the harvest, and preparing recipes. She will be making stops at the following locations:

  • Kaslo: September 4 at 10:00am at St Andrews United Church (500-4th Street)*presented by the Kaslo & District Public Library
  • Salmo: September 4 at 7:00pm at the Public Library(106-4th Street)
  • Creston: September 5 at 1:00pm at the Public Library (531 16th Avenue)
  • Cranbrook: September 5 at 7:00pm at the Public Library (1212 2nd St. North)
  • Kimberley: September 6 at 11:00am at the Public Library (115 Spokane St.)
  • Sparwood: September 6 at 5:00pm at the Farmer’s Market. Presented by the Sparwood Public Library
  • Fruitvale: September 7 at 10:00am at the Beaver Valley Public Library (1847 1st St.)
  • Grand Forks: September 7 at 3:00pm at the Public Library(7342-5th St.)