Healthy Fries

This dish is a fun way to eat your vegetables. Green bean fries are healthy in comparison to regular French fries.  They might take a long time to prepare but a taste of these crispy fries is well worth your time.

My son is a picky eater. He will refuse to eat something just because of what it looks like. Sometimes, he will taste it first then reject it. So if you’re not a fan of vegetables you might still want to try this recipe. These disappeared so fast from the plate, and my son didn’t even look at the green beans suspiciously! 

Green beans naturally appear in the shape of fries. They are a source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, manganese, molybdenum, fiber, foliate, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, iron, vitamin B1, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, copper, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, silicon, carotenoids and flavonoids.

I have tried different variations of green bean fries and can assure you that this recipe produces the crispiest fries. To achieve the crispiness, you really have to coat one string bean at a time and not skip the step where you leave them in the refrigerator for 30 min.

If you are having friends over but don’t want to serve lunch or dinner, this is a healthy and delicious alternative. You will need at least an hour and fifteen minutes to make this dish. You can serve it with a ranch dip, and enjoy it while watching sports or a movie!

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth

227 grams green beans

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 cup all purpose flour  

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of pepper

Salt, to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool in the water, then drain and pat dry. Whisk the egg and milk in a shallow bowl and set aside. Put 1/2 cup flour in another shallow bowl and set aside. Combine the breadcrumbs, remaining 1/2 cup flour, garlic powder, pepper and salt in another bowl and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the green beans in the flour and shake off the excess. One at a time, dip the beans in the egg mixture, dredge in the breadcrumb mixture and lay on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze until the coating is set, about 30 minutes. Heat 8 cm of oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Fry the green beans in batches until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beans with tongs or a skimmer to a rack or paper towels to drain.

Written by Yvette Oloo