The case of the overcooked green beans.

I absolutely love vegetables.  As far as I am concerned, they are -next to fruit- the most delicious thing to eat.  They are wonderful! They are colorful and cheery, they are full of amazing nutrients, they grow from the earth, which in my mind makes them magical.  They are just so damn beautiful too. The sight of a good farmers market is as good as it gets for my well traveled eyes.
Unfortunately, millions of folks disagree on the delicious aspect of these wonder plants.
I believe there are a  couple of factors to blame for this, but if I had to name just one, I would have to go with the too often committed crime (for which by the way, there is somehow no sentence) of  overcooking these delicate creatures.
In lots of households, all over this great big world of us, busy moms and dads, nannys and housekeepers, the random child cook, are overcooking vegetables right this second.
Many times it is due to a lack of knowledge, others, just a hectic day and not enough mindfulness.  Things happen, priorities are set, and the damn beans end up acquiring that weird brownish hue, instead of their supernatural vibrant green that makes you smile no matter how sad, angry or tired you might be.
A couple of weeks ago, as my husband and I got the house ready for a few days of our absence, we realized that we had almost two pounds of green beans that we had just gotten from the farm, but were somehow starting to go bad already.  They were definitely not going to make it until we returned.
As I made sure the cat had everything he needed, my husband decided he would freeze the beans.  We are not ones to waste food, and this seemed like the fastest solution to our debacle due to our time constraints.
So into a little sandwich bag and into the freezer they went,  as out the door we went, our worries about being wasteful put to rest.
A few days ago, as I searched the kitchen for dinner inspiration, I found said beans.  Perfect! I thought we were all out of vegetables (unheard of in our household, but, priorities are set, and right now revolve around finding a home).
  I placed them in the sink as I chopped some onions and garlic, cooked some brown rice, sipped on some wine. They defrosted rather quickly, and unfortunately, their texture was already not so great... It was almost slimy, and rather unpleasant.
 In reading "What to Eat" by renowned nutritionist Marion Nestle, I learned that when a bounty of fresh, local, fruits and vegetables is not available, frozen ones are a good substitute.  Plants loose many of their nutrients as time goes by. At the time of picking (or harvesting) they are full of everything they supply, but every day that goes by, on every mile that they travel, these delicious health enhancers have less and less of their magic properties.  Frozen ones are picked at their prime, and usually undergo a process of flash freezing, which preserves their texture a little better than our home method did, and preserve their nutrients for as long as they remain frozen.
Well, we will make them into a casserole, and everything will be great, right? I questioned my husband about this traditional American dish that I have heard of but never seen or tasted.  He had no answers, so I made my own version. We had some creamy tomato soup in the fridge, some old bread for croutons, well season it all , and it will be awesome. Right? WRONG! Horrible! They looked and tasted like the infamous, overcooked green beans. Wrinkly and sad, olive brown, begging for their former grandness.
I tried to make it better with some fresh goat cheese, but was not very successful. So we sat down at the table, and I ate all my beans before even tasting anything else.  It is a method I had developed as a little girl: eat what you like less first, and save your favorite for last.  It wasn't always a smart thing to do, as Dominicans are prone to snagging a bite of your plate without you knowing it or agreeing to it, and I ended up without my cherished last bite on more than one occasion.
However, in this case, it was the only way to go.  As I downed my beans, I couldn't help but think of the many folks who don't enjoy eating vegetables.  This is what they must think vegetables taste like! This is the texture they believe green beans are supposed to have! No wonder they hate them! I could barely finish these myself! But I did. Again, I always try to not waste food. My husband, on the other hand, could not do it.  He ate a decent amount of them, and then gave up.
It made me realize how blessed we are. Not only do we get three meals a day, but they are more often than not delicious, nutritious and plentiful.
However, I still feel that overcooking vegetables is a crime! Not only does it rob these magic entities of their beauty, texture, flavor and nutrients,  it is also disrespectful to the hands and hearts that grew them and harvested them in the first place. And it makes children hate one of the most important sources of nutrients there are.
So, to those of you who think vegetables are not delicious (or maybe even one particular vegetable) I challenge you to cook yourself or your family and friends a meal, using as many local, seasonal vegetables as you can find wherever you are, and cook everyone "just right".
If you are not sure how to, pick up a book, shoot me a line, or ask someone you know who cooks well. Not only will your senses be enlightened, but you will also learn something new.
When you sit down to enjoy your meal, raise your glass to all the kids out there eating overcooked vegetables (or hiding them in random areas of the house). May they discover, as soon as possible, that this is not how veggies should taste.
Buen Provecho!