While cooking, listen to this: The First Cut Is The Deepest by Sheryl Crow

It's Sunday night, and I just got off a plane. Scratch that - I just returned from the airport of horror, LaGuardia. The last thing I want to do, let alone think of, is making dinner. In my imagination, dinner is already ready and waiting for me. Perhaps, for practicality purposes, served by a handful of singing-and-dancing knick knacks?

OK, so maybe my life doesn't involve any Disney movie magic - which is too bad because how cool would a magic carpet be? Especially in New York, you'd save time and health commuting via magic carpet. I digress - but this blog is pretty magical. Especially when it comes to turning an over-abundance of veggies into the most convenient and delicious dishes your Sunday night has ever seen.

You've heard us blab on about my CSA here and here. Considering how obsessed I am with it (I get a little rush every Wednesday knowing I'll have an abundance of farm fresh veggies waiting for me. I'm pretty cool. I know), I also do a lot of fretting. Almost immediately after receiving my bounty, I'll text Rina frantically saying I got an overabundance of beets/turnips/strange Asian herb I've never heard of. Being the genius she is, Rina always has a trick up her sleeve, and I have to admit, these beans are one of her best.

Sautéed in all of my favorite ingredients (I 've come to terms with my garlic laziness) and topped with a splash of balsamic and a squeeze of lemon, these beans save my weeknight dinners. As with many of our recipes, this recipe's versatility means you can easily toss with your favorite pasta, some tomatoes and parmesan, or serve with a side of rice and lentils (and maybe top with feta - cheese makes great things even better, in my opinion).

Whatever you do, make sure you scrape out the pan so no flakey, garlicky, deliciousness is left behind. Best eaten hot from the pan, over the sink, if you're feeling particularly impatient. And if you serve these green beans with a side of singing candelabra, we'll love you even more. After all, we are high school theater nerds! But that's another story for another post.

xo, Alyssa

BALSAMIC GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON + GARLIC

Yield: 3-5 servings

Prep Time: 5m | Cook Time: 10m | Total Time: 15m

Category: Sides

Note: this recipe is what we like to call an eyeballer. The ingredient amounts are completely dependent on your taste, so feel free to experiment and adjust as you please.

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed

Olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

Red pepper flakes

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Add a couple glugs of olive oil to a non-stick pan. Add garlic and sauté until soft, about 30 seconds. Then add the beans, sprinkling with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste. Cook until the beans have browned, about 10 minutes. Once cooked, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and lemon, to taste. Serve immediately, perhaps with a glass of white wine.

To keep: these green beans are just as tasty the next day. Seal them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat before eating again (or nosh on them cold!).