Greek-style green beans (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

Many Americans serve green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. But, this dish was unknown to the Pilgrims or the Wampanoag Native Americans.

The diet of most Native Americans relied heavily on the trifecta of corn, squash and beans, supplemented by wild game. The Pilgrims most likely dined on onions, lettuce, turnips, spinach, cabbage and carrots, as well as plums, grapes and berries — including cranberries.

Green beans are the tender, edible pods of beans. They have been cultivated in Mexico and Peru for thousands of years but were not common in North America when European colonists arrived.

They ripen in midsummer and are not an autumn food like winter squash, Brussels sprouts or kale. Native Americans did not have the technology to freeze or can them for winter storage.

So why do we eat green bean casserole at Thanksgiving?

Dorcas Reilly, one of the first full-time recipe developers at Campbell’s Test Kitchen, invented this dish in 1955. Her task was to create a quick, easy dish that used Campbell’s products and other processed ingredients. The dish is made with canned or fresh green beans, a can of French’s crispy fried onions, a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup and milk. Black pepper and soy sauce can be added to season — but the soup is already quite salty, so they’re not really needed.

Like tuna noodle casserole (another one of Dorcas’ recipes invented around the same time), green bean casserole was intended as a quick weeknight side dish for busy housewives. But when Campbell’s printed the recipe on its cream of mushroom soup cans, it became a hit that soon became part of the traditional holiday meal. Today, 40% of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup is sold in November, and the casserole is served at 30 million Thanksgiving dinners each year, according to the Today Show.

Cream of soups (mushroom, chicken, celery) have largely replaced homemade bechamel sauce. They’re high in fat and contain a lot of artificial ingredients, including MSG.

Green bean casserole is not — and never has been — made “from scratch.” Sure, you could make bechamel sauce, add sauteed mushrooms and top with sauteed onions but … the intention was to make a dish with factory-made, shelf-stable ingredients that you can keep in your cupboards forever. It is a convenience food — not a fresh food.

If you want to make green bean casserole “from scratch” use fresh beans, fresh mushrooms and onions and homemade cream sauce. But brussels sprouts or kale make a more seasonal vegetable for your Thanksgiving holiday table.

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Quick skillet mushroom and green beans

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Ingredients:

1 pound green beans

1 or 2 onions

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup broth, about (or water)

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

Prep the vegetables. Remove stem ends from green beans and slice into 1 or 2-inch pieces. Rinse and set aside. Peel and dice the onion. Set aside. Slice or chop the mushrooms.

Melt butter or heat oil in skillet. Add onions and mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and cook about 5 minutes. Add green beans and broth and continue cooking until they reach desired tenderness. Sprinkle with half the paprika, stir and place in serving dish.

When ready to serve, stir in sour cream and garnish with remaining teaspoon of paprika.

Note: If making this after the holiday, stir in a couple cups of cooked turkey (or chicken) and serve over pasta or with potatoes for an easy meal.

Note: Frozen green beans work well in this dish to cut down on the vegetable prep.

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Braised greens

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Braised greens make simple, light fare for holiday dinners. Both greens and garlic have heart-healthy, immune boosting properties.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

4 ounces mushrooms, optional

1 pound fresh autumn greens (about 8 cups, shredded) — like kale, collards, chard, spinach

2 tablespoons apple cider

2 tablespoons wine

1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and freshly grated black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon garlic wine vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

Prepare the greens by washing thoroughly in several changes of water, and chopping coarsely. Keep separated, since some take longer to cook than others. There is no need to dry them off, as the water will evaporate during cooking.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Peel onion and add; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Chop mushrooms and add, if using. Peel and crush the garlic, add to the skillet and cook about one minute. Stir in the kale, if using; it takes the longest to cook. Cover and cook about 7 minutes. Add the beet greens, if using; stir to coat with garlic and oil, moisten with a little of the broth and cider and cook five minutes more. Now add the more tender greens like spinach, and chard, along with the wine and the remaining apple cider and broth. Stir. Cover and simmer about five or ten minutes, testing the greens for doneness. Season to taste, sprinkle with vinegar and cheese and cook another three or four minutes to heat through and blend the flavors. Dress with lemon wedges and additional Parmesan, if desired.

Option: For more apple flavor, add an apple or two with the onions; omit mushrooms.

Option: add a cand of diced tomatoes.

Serves 4 to 8.

Note: To make this after the holiday, stir in some leftover turkey and a can of butter beans for a complete meal rather than a side dish. (If you don’t have turkey, add some diced ham.) Serve over cooked pasta or with a fresh crusty baguette.

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Greek-style green bean casserole

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Ingredients:

About 6 cups green beans, cut into 1″ pieces

1 or 2 teaspoons olive oil or butter

1 large onion

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic

About 6 cups green beans, cut into 1″ pieces

1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup olives

1/2 cup feta cheese

Directions:

Remove stem ends from green beans and slice in 1 or 2 inch pieces. Rinse and set aside.

Coat bottom of skillet with oil. Peel and dice the onion; add to the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes. Peel and mince the garlic, add, and cook 1 minute. Add the prepared green beans and broth; simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if they begin to stick.

When they reach desired tenderness, place in oiled casserole dish. Add the basil, oregano, diced tomatoes, sliced olives and feta cheese. Stir to combine. You can store it in the refrigerator for a few days if you are cooking ahead.

When ready to serve, place in hot oven for 15 minutes or heat in a microwave. Serve as a side.

Serves 6.

To make this into a vegetarian main dish, add a can of beans to the casserole when adding tomatoes and olives. Serve over cooked grain (like quinoa or rice) or over pasta.

To make vegan, omit feta.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite @yvonawrites.