Day 4: Maple-Mustard-Glazed Potatoes and String Beans

I never would have thought of combining maple syrup and dijon mustard, so I have to thank Isa for introducing me to one of my favorite flavor combinations (there is also a really great maple-mustard dressing in V'con).

It does take 75 minutes to cook, which may put some people off, but really, you pretty much just stick it in the oven and then take it out and mix it up every 25 minutes. Easy. Peasy. ... One-two-threesy.

I've made this several times and each time it was very successful. Even my vegan-skeptical family members really enjoyed it. It's definitely a great fall/winter dish (having your oven on will warm up your house! the food will warm up your belly!), although I also like to eat it straight-out-of-the-refrigerator and cold.

Recipe!:
- 2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes (halved, about 1 inch pieces) [I don't know if other people buy freakishly small Yukon gold potatoes, but it only takes 4 potatoes for me to get to 2lbs., so I just chop up the potatoes into bite-sized pieces]
- 1/2 lb. string beans, halved, ends cut off and discarded [I used frozen green beans]
- 1 yellow onion, thickly sliced [I used a large yellow onion because, mmm, onions]
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 T. tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 c. pure maple syrup
- 3 T. Dijon mustard
- 2 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Put the potatoes in a 9x13 inch casserole dish (or rimmed pan). Stir together the remaining ingredients until the mustard is dissolved. Pour over the potatoes and mix well. Cover with foil and put in oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, add the green beans, and toss. Turn oven down to 350 and cook for 25 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and toss again, cook for 25 minutes more uncovered. Let them cool down a bit after they are cooked so that the sauce becomes more sticky. Best served at room temperature [or cold, I swear].