Wax Beans or Green Beans

This week’s share will include either yellow wax beans or green beans.
Yellow wax beans are crisp, succulent and firm, with a mellow, grassy, sweet and somewhat nutty flavor.  They are nearly identical to green beans except for the color.  The skin of yellow wax beans is somewhat thinner and more velvety.
To store, wrap wax beans in a dry paper towel and refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.  To prepare, rinse the beans under cold running water.  Cut or snap off the pointy stem ends and remove any tough strings running along the length of the bean.  To retain the beautiful color, place in a steamer basket and cook whole until tender, usually just a few minutes.
Yellow wax beans make a colorful side dish simply steamed and sautéed with butter or olive oil.  In vegetable salads, they pair well with potatoes, beets, corn, and peas.  Try combining them with green beans in your recipes-delicious!
Green beans are one of the few beans that can be eaten fresh. Green beans are often steamed, boiled, stir-fried, or baked in casseroles.
When picked young, green beans are a wonderful source of vitamin K, fiber and folate.  And what may come as a surprise to some people is that they also provide us with carotenoids as well. They also have a high antioxidant capacity.
To retain the most nutrients, steaming fresh green beans for just 5 minutes is recommended. This brings out their peak flavor while retaining their beautiful green color. Store unwashed fresh bean pods in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Frozen green beans will retain nutrients for 3-6 months. To freeze green beans, steam them for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and let cool before you place them in freezer bags.