Tasty Tuesdays: Green Bean Salad

Sunday Mark and I were invited on an impromptu beach day at our friend's house.  It was just going to be Mark, me and our friend C and her three little ones.  I love quiet days at the beach with a few friends and a good book.  I'm currently reading Certain Girls, Jennifer Weiner's follow up to Good in Bed.  So far, so GREAT! 

I also love that a beach trip is the perfect excuse to prepare a refreshing summer side dish.  I don't know about yall, but summer sides are some of my favorite things to make.  With all of the fresh produce around, a good side is never too much trouble.  Recently, a co-worker of mine brought everyone in our office grocery bags stuffed with home grown green beans.  I needed some inspiration for these guys as my typical green bean tricks seemed tired.  After some searching around, I found this Real Simple recipe for Green Bean Salad that called for ingredients I knew I had stocked in our pantry (aside from the goat cheese).

This recipe was just wonderful!  I made a few changes to it to.  For instance, I boiled the green beans in chicken stock to give them some additional flavor.  I also used white balsamic vinegar rather than sherry vinegar because I like how the sweetness of the white balsamic cuts the sharpness of the mustard.  Since I didn't have any, and we knew the salad might sit out, I didn't add the goat cheese.  I would love to add toasted pine buts or walnuts to this salad for a nice crunch.  Sliced bell peppers would also be a nice compliment in flavor and color to the salad. 

This is one of those side dishes whose base ingredients are simple, yet with a little gussying up, their flavors become complex and interesting.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Green Bean Salad

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds thin green beans cut into 2-inch pieces (4 cups)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved (2 cups)

2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the green beans uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt. Pour the dressing over the green beans and toss well. Fold in the tomatoes and goat cheese, then add pepper to taste.

To make up to 2 days ahead, prepare and store separately in the refrigerator: green beans, dressing, tomatoes, and cheese. Combine up to 3 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:124 (1% from fat)
Fat:9g (sat 2g)
Protein:4mg
Carbohydrate:10g
Fiber:4g

What are your favorite summer side dishes?