Balsamic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

There's nothing quite like the start of a new year. These first few days of January are filled with such great expectation for another year of life. They are days to dream. To feel the weight of new possibilities. To imagine what sorts of adventures and beauty may lie in the path ahead. 

Far too often I find myself caught in a blur of days. It's easy to just bake. eat. repeat. and miss the grace, the friendship, the provision found in every bite, every meal we share with those we love. My hope for 2012 is for a life marked not by routine, but by intention. 

Though I've never been good at making (much less keeping) New Year's resolutions, I think the tradition is a good one. It forces us to put our greatest dreams for the future on paper, or in this case, onto the un-eraseable, un-losable World Wide Web. What a terrifying, humbling, thrilling thought. 

Here are a few of my dreams, big and small, for 2012:

1. Make an effort to shop locally and build relationships with the owners of the businesses and restaurants in our neighborhood.

2. Have a monthly supper club. Invite friends and neighbors over for food and fun times.

3. Stop pressing snooze! Seriously, so much time wasted on unsatisfying sleep.

4. Make more ethnic foods. I'm talking about you homemade sushi. 

5. Have a regular quiet time for prayer, journaling, Bible reading, and reflection. Sounds like a good use for all that time I'll be freeing up once I stop pressing snooze a thousand times each morning!

6. Last but not least, find more ways to make vegetables taste delicious--like these roasted balsamic green beans and mushrooms. 

In my opinion, this is a perfect new year food. It could fit into nearly any New Year's Resolution. Did you resolve to support your local farm market? Check out this website  and go get yourself some green beans! Trying to eat healthier? Yup, this will work for that too. Want to make more homemade meals/cut out processed foods/spend less time slaving away in the kitchen? These beans can do all that too!

Was your resolution to eat massive amounts of tangy, savory, cheese studded green beans and mushrooms? Seriously, it's like I wrote this post just for you.

I know you've got big dreams for 2012 too. Write em down! Share them here! Let's greet the New Year with a big fat bear hug and approach tomorrow with passion, conviction, and a platter full of green beans. 

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

Yield: Serves 5

Recipe adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed

8-12 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Shredded Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil. 

2. In a gallon zip lock bag combine green beans, sliced mushrooms, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Shake until vegetables are fully coated in sauce. Add additional oil and/or vinegar if mixture looks dry. 

3. Pour vegetables out onto baking sheet and spread into single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

4. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes, if you prefer a crispier bean, or up to 35 minutes if you prefer a totally tender bean. We do ours about 28 minutes. 

5. Transfer beans to a platter. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve hot.