Tag Archives: green beans

Szechuan Green Beans

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Sorry for being MIA lately. I went to Boston for a girls weekend, then Corey and I had “the rents” in town (both of ours…) for memorial day weekend and then we flew to Minnesota for my friend’s wedding this past weekend. Phew!

I had never been to Boston before and it is such a cute city, unlike any place I’ve ever been. We went to celebrate my girlfriend Chelsea’s graduation from grad school – we had an absolute blast.

Memorial day was so much fun, it was the first time our parents were all meeting (we’ve been dating for over 2 years but it’s hard to get everyone together with how far apart we all live). We had a blast and the weather was beautiful! (we were having such a good time I forgot to snap a single pic!)

My friend Alicia looked gorgeous on her wedding day, she was just glowing the whole evening. I am so happy for she and Matt and I wish them a lifetime of happiness. (I snapped this picture during their wedding march – she didn’t miss a beat!)

Now that I am home-sweet-home though I plan on spending some quality time with my kitchen! Below is an awesome recipe for szechuan green beans to get ya started. It goes great with so many things and it is pretty quick and easy.

Spicy Szechuan Green Beans (Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into halves or thirds
  • 2 T soy sauce (I used low-sodium)
  • 1 T rice vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 2 tsp. Splenda (Sugar, or granular Stevia in the Raw)
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (I used 1/4 tsp. and the beans were fairly hot)
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper (original recipe called for white pepper but I didn’t have any)
  • 1 T vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 1 T peeled and minced ginger root

Instructions

1. Wash green beans, trim the ends, and cut beans into halves or thirds if they are large.  Mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, splenda, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger and white pepper.
2. Heat a large stir fry skillet on high heat, add the beans and 1/4 cup water and seasonings. Lower the heat to medium-high and stir continuously for 3-5 minutes or until the beans are bright green and starting to get tender.  (If your beans are thin they will cook more quickly, but larger beans will probably need 5 minutes to get done.)  Cook until the water is all evaporated.
Dinner on the patio! Served with grilled corn and salt & vinegar kale mashed potatoes. Such a gorgeous night! (we need some nicer napkins though, ugh, what a buzz kill!)

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Green Bean, Mushroom and Onion Side Dish

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I am always scraping something together at the last minute to complete a meal. So having easy, healthy side dish recipes at the tip of my fingers is so key. I have tried numerous versions of “the green bean side dish” and I think this was the best. I love the combination of sauteed onions and mushrooms with the crunch of the green beans.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 Tbls olive oil (can sub broth for healthier option)
  • 1/2 Tbls butter (optional)
  • 1/2 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • S&P

Directions:

1. Place trimmed green beans, water and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a small skillet over medium heat. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until beans have softened slightly but are still crisp.  Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in another pan add olive oil and butter. Once butter has melted, add onions and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes or until softened.

3. Return green beans to the pan, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic powder and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

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Healthy Green Bean Casserole

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This recipe is adapted from the amazing Amanda Skrip, the best natural foods chef and wellness consultant in Chicago! We went to one of her cooking classes and have not stopped making her recipes since! This recipe was originally made with broccoli (which was awe-mazing!), but we wanted to try it with green beans. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, and even better, it is boyfriend approved!

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups of green beans
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup of cashews, soaked in water for about 30 minutes
  • 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (this is what gives it it’s cheesy flavor)
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup of brown crispy rice cereal, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a medium baking dish with oil.

2. Boil green beans for 5-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add onions and garlic. Saute until softened and caramelized (about 10 minutes).

4. Drain green beans and place in large bowl. Add onions to green beans.

5. Drain cashews, add to blender with nutritoin yeast, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, water, and salt. Blend until creamy. Pour sauce over beans and onions and stir to coat.

6. Evenly distribute mixture in baking dish cover with parchment paper then seal with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and foil, sprinkle crispy rice and parmesan (if desired) on top. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool then serve.

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