Garden Green Beans

1 lb of green beans will make about 3 cups

Directions:

1. Prepare the green beans – Snap off the ends of each green bean and break them into bite-sized pieces for even drying.
2. Clean thoroughly – Wash the beans well, then soak them for a few minutes to remove any dirt or bugs. Rinse thoroughly.
3. Blanch – Boil a pot of water and blanch the beans for 1-2 minutes to preserve color, texture, and nutrients. Immediately transfer them to ice-cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain well.
4. Arrange on Trays – Spread the beans evenly on a parchment-lined freeze-drying tray. If making seasoned snack beans, add spices now.
5. Pre-Freeze – Freeze until the beans are completely solid.
6. Freeze Dry (my cycle time was 47 hours)
7. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage
   

Rehydration:

Add a dollop of butter to your bowl of green beans if desired, then add boiling hot water to cover the green beans.  Cover with foil, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. This restores the beans to the form of blanched beans.  For your meal, cook them like you normally would in boiling water.  These also make a great crunchy snack without rehydration

Notes:

 If you are making these as a snack,  add your favorite seasonings before freeze-drying.  Try seasoned salt, garlic salt or lemon pepper.

 Nutritional Value Per 1 cup

Calories: 31   Protein: 2 g   Fat: 0 g   Carbohydrates: 7 g   Sugar: 3 g   Fiber: 3 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.