Fresh green beans are a little bit sweet and a little bit earthy tasting and it doesn’t take much to turn them into a side dish. In just one pan start off by sautéeing some garlic for a couple minutes, once it browns add in the beans and then shortly after add in some nuts and in just a few more minutes they are ready to go. Grate some lemon or lime zest straight on then squeeze the juice over and these simple vegetables become layered with flavours. Adding in the nuts makes them more filling and contributes some healthy fats and difference in texture and the citrus lightens it up and keeps it fresh and summery.
Sometimes string beans start off purple, like these ones from my garden, but they turn green as they cook- kind of like a built in timer, you know they are ready when they are fully green. Green beans, even if they start off a different colour, are great for bone health. They are high in vitamin K, which keeps bones strong, and the mineral silicon, which keeps bones dense. They are also a good source fiber, manganese, and several B vitamins, nutrients that help out with many important functions including digestion and energy production.
- 3 cups green beans
- ¼ cup pine nuts (or sliced/chopped almonds or hazelnuts)
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ lime
- Sea salt
- Snip off the edges of the beans. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the garlic and sautée for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Add in the green beans, stirring until they are all coated in the oil and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the nuts and continue to cook for 5 final minutes, still stirring occasionally. If the pan gets too dry at any point add in a couple tablespoons of water, I needed to to this twice.
- Remove from heat and grate the zest of the lime directly over the beans then squeeze the juice over and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Optional: garnish with some fresh herbs or edible flours like these nasturtiums.