Anytime I can get all 3 of my girls to happily eat a green vegetable is a very exciting time for me. I know you Moms know what I mean. Just getting them to eat vegetables is hard, but GREEN vegetables? AND a green vegetable they all 3 like? Impossible.
Until…
I discovered their love of fresh green beans. They don’t like soggy canned beans…and I don’t blame them! They are ok with frozen. But they all LOVE fresh and eat them like a snack.
This recipe is very simple. It just uses beans, garlic, butter (I use Earth Balance), salt, pepper & sliced honey roasted almonds from Trader Joes. These almonds are a dream in this recipe and add just a hint of sweetness. I’ve even cooked up a batch and put a big bowl out on the table as an after school snack.
Enjoy!
Sauteed Green Beans With Honey Almonds
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends popped or sliced off
2 tsp butter (or olive oil, or Earth Balance for vegans)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, honey roasted preferably
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a sauce pan or skillet on medium heat with olive oil or butter. Add garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Add green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until crisp tender. Do not overcook! Add almonds. Season with salt & pepper.
Health benefits of Green beans (source)
- Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and contain no saturated fat. Nevertheless, the lean vegetables are a very good source of vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.
- They are very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA) which acts as a bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Adequate amount of fiber has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing reabsorption of cholesterol-binding bile acids in the colon.
- Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A, and health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and ß-carotene in good amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
- Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in the beans, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV light filtering functions. It is, therefore, green beans offer some protection in preventing age-related macular disease (ARMD) in the elderly.
- Snap beans are a good source of folates. 100 g fresh beans provide 37 µg or 9% of folates. Folate along with vitamin B-12 is one of the essential components of DNA synthesis and cell division. Good folate diet when given during preconception periods and during pregnancy helps prevent neural-tube defects among the offspring.
- They also contain good amounts of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), and vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
- In addition, beans contain healthy amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
