Green Beans Almondine
Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables and they are one of those veggies that just about everyone loves. They are also reasonably priced, good for you and can be prepared in a variety of ways. One of my favorite ways is the focus of this post. Green Beans Almondine also happens to be my husband’s favorite side dish, so I make them on a regular basis. I do not like canned green beans, never have, never will, so I don’t use canned great beans. I like using thawed frozen great beans. In my opinion, they are almost as good as fresh and I don’t have to wash them, trim them or blanch them. I like shortcuts that don’t compromise on taste or quality.
Begin by sautéing 2 large or 3 small cloves of minced garlic in a skillet with about 1.5 tablespoons of good olive oil. Cook the garlic just until it’s a light, golden color and then toss in the green beans, some salt and pepper and the juice of 1 lemon. If the lemon is being stubborn and doesn’t want to give off much juice, roll it around on the countertop while pressing down and that will help get the juices flowing. I always use fresh lemon juice, rather than pre-squeezed bottled juice. Just be careful to keep the pits out!
Once the beans are heated through, add some toasted almonds. I buy raw, slivered almonds and just toast them in a dry pan until they start to turn a light golden color. Be sure to remove the pan from the heat immediately, otherwise they will get too dark. You will be able to smell them when they are toasted. Green Beans Almondine is not very tasty with burnt almonds!
They should look something like this when they are ready. Toasting them really brings out the flavor, adds some crunch, and also makes your kitchen smell amazing.
[tweetthis]Easy #recipe for Green Beans Almondine with special added ingredient.[/tweetthis]
Next is a little twist on traditional Green Beans Almondine. Add some grated cheese. I like this 3 cheese blend, with a combination of Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheeses. I use this blend quite often and always have some on hand in my refrigerator. It’s great in eggs, on wraps, on veggies, on pasta, on salad, on a grilled cheese sandwich, on chicken, pretty much everywhere. It’s really a challenge to think of something this would not be good on and I’m not up for that challenge tonight, so we’ll just say it’s good everywhere.
Continue cooking the beans until the cheese is just melted and serve. Green Beans Almondine are way better than the traditional green bean casserole for Thanksgiving and are also great for entertaining. You can whip them together in no time, but they taste like you spent a lot of time preparing them. Your guests don’t have to know how quickly you threw them together and your secret is safe with me!
I hope you will give this recipe a try and snap a photo and share on Social Media using the hashtag #ketchumkitchen. Come on back and leave me a comment and let me know how it turns out for you!
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen, where everything, without exception, is made from the ♥
Green Beans w/ Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh Garlic, Toasted Almonds and 3 Cheese Blend
Ingredients
- 1 bag of frozen green beans (my favorite are the French Style), thawed
- 2 large or 3 small cloves of minced garlic
- 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
- The juice of 1 lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 package of slivered almonds (found on the baking aisle), toasted
- 1/3 cup 3 cheese blend
Instructions
- Add the almonds to a small, dry skillet and toast on medium heat until lightly toasted. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat and add the garlic and sauté until the garlic just turns golden in color. Add the green beans and salt & pepper and lemon juice and cook until the beans are heated through. Add the almonds and cheese and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Green Beans w/ Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh Garlic, Toasted Almonds and 3 Cheese Blend
Serves: 4
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 97.46 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 8.98 g | 12.3% | |
| Saturated Fat 2.85 g | 10% | |
| Trans Fat 0.13 g | ||
| Cholesterol 11.22 mg | 3.7% | |
| Sodium 77.58 mg | 3.2% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 2.03 g | 0.7% | |
| Dietary Fiber 0.5 g | 0% | |
| Sugars 0.46 g | ||
| Protein 2.96 g | ||
| Vitamin A 29.56 µg | Vitamin C 8.2 mg | |
| Calcium 81.43 mg | Iron 0.18 mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ketchum Kitchen
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