Green Bean, String Bean, Haricot?! What's the difference?!

I wondered what the difference between green beans and string beans is. All I knew before my research was that, I do not like the beans that are in the can, already cut, sometimes sour and full of water, but I do like the fresh, rough, long beans that are bagged at Whole Foods! But why would they have two names for the same thing? Is that a cruel joke they want to play on the consumer? Here we go!

Well the difference is... Green beans are the canned beans, topped on salads, put in casseroles, and look like something that can be put next to martini onions. String beans, are the bagged ones I like! And Haricots are also string beans (only longer and thinner) but are special because they are prepared by the French. Oh lala! Thank goodness for blurtit.com!

String Beans are high in vitamin C, when raw or slightly cooked, but loose a lot of the nutrients naturally in them when baked in a casserole surrounded by cream of mushroom! yuck! (not that I have anything against it..) There are over 130 types of string beans and each are distinguished by they're own flavor, color, and shape of those cute little pods!

So...Green bean casserole? No thank you. But I will take gingered string beans! MMM MM MMM!
My recipe for gingered string beans can be eaten alone, over rice, or as a side dish to refresh your palate. And the recipe is super easy so anyone can try it!

Gingered String Beans
1 bag string beans, cut and washed
1 whole ginger, fresh, peeled, and chopped into slices
2 garlic cloves, fresh, crushed
Olive oil
cayenne pepper
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

In a sauté pan, begin with olive oil to coat the pan thinly on medium heat. In hot oil, add garlic and ginger for oil to take on flavor of these also, special ingredients.(don't taste the oil, just don't let the garlic burn) Add in beans and continue mixing until fully coated. Allow beans to cook until they don't look raw anymore, but still have a firm texture. Here, you can taste your beans and decide CAYENNE OR NO CAYENNE! A little wont hurt you, but some people are sensitive to the spice the ginger already gives. So, once you've decided, add your cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy you healthy, sinus clearing, vitamin C giving ingredient! String Beans!