Dinner for One: Green Bean Stir Fry

When it comes to produce, I only buy what is on sale. I would love to say I do buy what is on sale because it is probably what is in season and at its freshest and tastiest. The reality is, I am just cheap. Buying produce only when it is on sale is one easy way to save money. Here is a chart to see what may be in season, if you are interested. So, when spring finally comes around, I become very happy. Not only is there a possibility that there won't be rain for a day, there is the possibility of many great produce deals due to the change in season. After the drab and dreary colors of the winter produce, spring is so colorful and vibrant.

The last few months I have been breaking one of my cardinal rules of frugal grocery shopping: I haven't been wandering around the nearby grocery store on a weekly basis, I have only been looking at the weekly ad which can be found online. There have been some weeks where I don't even walk into a Safeway. I did manage to drag my feet into the Safeway a few days ago to pick up my go-to bag of carrots. I drifted through the produce to see if there was anything I missed when my eyes fell upon a deal that was not in any of the ads: green beans for $0.99 a pound. Not only are green beans delicious, Z. and I have been keeping an eye out for a green bean sale. We started canning and pickling almost two months ago (I will be sharing our adventures soon!) and knew we wanted to stock our pantry with pickled green beans. Here was our chance! I was able to pick up just enough beans for a meal but there was not enough for pickling. I got a rain check instead. That's fine, too. Just remember to use your rain checks. I always clip mine to the fridge where I can see it every time I open the refrigerator door.

Well, here is the recipe for the meal I made with these green beans. I served my stir fry over bulgur wheat because that's what I was craving. I also wonder how other people stir fry their vegetables. I am particular about not cooking the garlic and ginger first. It's just a quirk I have. As always, this is just an idea, do what you like! This is a Dinner for One post but really this was dinner for two: myself and my lunch. Enjoy!

Green Bean Stir Fry

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 pound fresh green beans, approximately, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
ginger, about 1 inch piece grated or minced finely
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar of your choice (rice vinegar, white vinegar, and cider vinegar work the best)
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
sesame seed oil, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes to garnish

1. The vegetables cook very quickly so I suggest preparing the sauce first. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar in a small cup or small bowl. Taste to adjust to your liking. I usually add more vinegar. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat. When hot, add carrots, stirring occasionally, cook about 2 minutes. 
3. Add garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally, cook 1-2 minutes.
4. Add green beans to carrot mixture. Cook until hot but still crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour sauce mixture into pan. Stir vegetables to coat. Let boil. If there is too much sauce, let boil a minute to reduce sauce. Serve immediately over rice or a grain of your choice. Garnish with a drizzle of sesame seed oil, toasted sesame seeds, or red pepper flakes, if you like. Enjoy!

P.S. If you can, get your soy sauce and other ingredients from an Asian market. The soy sauce you can get there is so much better than what you can find at the regular grocery store. Our soy sauce is dark and thick and incredibly flavorful compared to the other brands we tried.