Kitchen science: Green beans go bright green in a quick boil, because the heat pushes out the tiny air bubbles that hid their colour; cook them too long and they go dull.
Snap, snap, crocodile! Let's make Snap-Snap Green Beans: you do the snapping. This easy recipe is for ages 5 to 12 (grades K–6th), takes about 20 minutes and serves 4. Crumb, our tiny chef, reads every step aloud with a picture, so a child can follow along, and every hot or sharp step is marked for a grown-up.
Snapping the ends off green beans is one of the oldest jobs a child gets in the kitchen before a big dinner, and a kindergartner can do it while a grown-up handles the boiling water. Five minutes in the pot keeps them bright green and a little crunchy.
Ingredients
4 handfuls green beans
1 tablespoon butter (or oil)
a pinch salt
Tools
A colander, A big pot, The stove (grown-up), A mixing bowl, A big spoon, Measuring spoons, A plate.
Steps
Wash your hands with soap for twenty seconds, then let's make snap-snap green beans!
Rinse 4 handfuls of green beans in the colander under cold water.
Snap the stem end off each bean. Snap!
Snap each long bean in half, like a crocodile: snap, snap!
Grown-up step: A grown-up brings a pot of water to a boil on the stove.
Grown-up step: A grown-up drops in the beans and boils them for 5 minutes, till bright green.
Grown-up step: A grown-up drains them in the colander and tips them into the bowl.
Drop in 1 tablespoon of butter and stir till the beans shine.
Sprinkle on a pinch of salt.
Line the beans up on your plate in a zigzag: a crocodile! Snap, snap!
Safety notes
Hot! A grown-up does this part.
Contains milk. Tap "Allergies?" on the Kitchen's front page and the swaps fill themselves in where there is one.
Cut cooked green beans into short pieces for little ones under 4.
Kitchen science
Green beans go bright green in a quick boil, because the heat pushes out the tiny air bubbles that hid their colour; cook them too long and they go dull.
Make it your own
Squeeze a little lemon juice over them (a grown-up cuts the lemon).
Sprinkle on grated cheese while they're warm.
Make a whole crocodile family on a big plate.
Questions about green beans
How do you know when green beans are done?
They turn bright green and bend a little when you lift one, after about 4 to 6 minutes in boiling water.
Do you have to snap off both ends?
Only the stem end, which is tough. The thin tail end is soft and fine to eat.
Can little ones eat green beans?
Yes, cooked soft and cut into short pieces for children under 4.