No strings attached! If you still use the term "string beans," it's time to make the switch to "snap beans," which is the more appropriate name. At one point many years ago, green beans were indeed stringy, often quite chewy, and cooked to an unappetizing shade of olive.

Today, they are leaner and greener after cooking and those pesky strings are history. These inexpensive vegetable staples are unique in that their thick-walled pods are edible. The snap beans in my garden have been producing like crazy. I have been harvesting for weeks and still come in weekly with an armload. And I am not alone because I see lots of luscious green mounds all over farm markets. So it's time to grab some of your own while quantities are the highest from local sources and stock your pantry and freezer.

It's marvelous that the peak of home canning season coincides with the onslaught of green beans. If there ever was a vegetable right at home in a canning jar, it's this one. Because it falls into the low acid category, you must use a pressure canner to preserve it rather than a water bath.

If you decide to freeze the excess, they must be blanched before they are packed into the appropriate containers. And don't overlook using the fresh slender greenies right now. I have been grilling, roasting and steaming them with great results. Even my husband, who prefers the "cook 'em to death" method, has begun to travel on over to the crisp tender side, which is no small accomplishment. Since my herb garden is also going crazy, I've been pairing fresh cooked beans with everything from basil to dill to tarragon.

All varieties of snap beans are great diet food because they contain mostly water and fiber. A cup of cooked pods contains only 31 calories and is full of vitamin A and potassium.



You asked for it

Mary Elizabeth Ball of Nashville wants to know if she can eliminate salt in her home canned vegetables, such as beans, corn, tomatoes, etc.

Mary Elizabeth, you certainly can! In fact home canning of vegetables is a great alternative to heavily salted commercially canned vegetables. Fresh or dried herbs may be used to enhance the product's flavor. This substitution can be made without changing the processing time.

Read or Share this story: http://www.tennessean.com/story/life/food/2014/08/26/pull-strings-load-beans/14598539/