My signature move is to make a great meal....and then realize that I don't have a side dish. And you'll notice my side dish category is a little light on recipes.
"You mean I have to make ANOTHER vegetable to go with my MAIN vegetable?!"
Ugh.
I'm happy to report that these green beans cure all side-dish blues. It comes together in under 20 minutes, and that includes the time it takes to trim the green beans and boil the water.
Green beans are rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients such as vitamins A & C, calcium, iron, manganese, beta carotene, and protein. Green beans provide significant cardiovascular benefits due to their omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) content. They also contain anti-inflammatory compounds which make them highly beneficial for individuals who suffer with auto-immune disorders such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, COPD, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowl syndrome, chronic sinusitis, bursitis, Raynaud’s syndrome and lupus.
They are also known to help prevent type 2 diabetes. Green beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and can aid the digestive tract by promoting regular peristaltic action and aid in the removal toxic, cancer-causing substances in the digestive tract. They also contain a wide variety of carotenoids such as lutein and neoxanthin and flavonoids such asquercetin and procyanidins which make them excellent for eye health and for preventing disease.
In the time it took me to research this blog post, you could have made this side dish AT LEAST three times. So....pitter patter, let's get at 'er!
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
2 tbsp. Coconut aminos
2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Tapioca starch
1/3 cup of sliced almonds
Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Generously salt the water once boiling. Add the trimmed and washed green beans to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the green beans and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Return the same pot to the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and then add the green beans back to the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger root. Stir frequently and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the garlic and ginger become fragrant.
Add the coconut aminos and balsamic vinegar and stir to coat. Sprinkle the tapioca starch on the green beans and stir to dissolve. The sauce should start to immediately thicken. Add the sliced almonds and stir to combine and coat the green beans and almonds in the sticky sauce.
Remove from heat and serve warm. Enjoy!