It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner! There are so many great dishes served for Thanksgiving dinner, but unfortunately, not all of them are heart-healthy. The holidays can be a very frustrating time to stick to eating healthy. It’s important to fill your plate with large servings of veggies leaving only a small portion on the plate for indulgent foods. Because let’s be honest, if you don’t give yourself a little leniency once in a while, you may not be as successful in changing your eating habits. So feel free to give yourself a heaping portion of this healthy Garlic Green Beans dish! That seems to work for us, everything in moderation.
How to make Garlic Green Beans
Start this dish off by using fresh green beans and garlic, it really does make the difference in taste. We always try to freeze greens beans from our garden in the summer to have fresh all year long! But you can always find fresh green beans at your local grocery store if you don’t have access to a garden or farmers market.
We like to first steam the beans instead of putting then right into the saute pan. This makes them more tender and soft. But if you like a crispier bean you may want to skip the steaming steps. Once the beans have steamed and are tender heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on medium in a large skillet. Add in the garlic and saute for about a minute. Add in the green beans and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for about another 5 minutes, then they’re ready to serve!
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These Garlic Green Beans make the perfect side dish to any meal, not just the holidays, and super easy! This dish is so healthy because it’s low in calories, fats, and has no cholesterol. Green beans are also a great source of vitamins, fiber and protein. Plus, it’s an easy way to add to your daily intake of veggies! Cook a few extras and have them for leftovers or pack them for a super healthy lunch!
More Healthy Side Dishes
- GRILLED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
- ROASTED CARROTS WITH FETA
- HORTA (GREEK GREENS)
- ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH FETA
- ARAKAS KOKINISTOS (GREEK PEAS)
Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
- 3-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp pepper
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Place a steamer basket in a large pot that has been filled with an inch of water.
- Add green beans, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and steam beans until tender. Check often to see if more water needs to be added. (For crunchier beans, omit this step)
- In a large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat on medium.
- Add chopped garlic and stir for 1 minute.
- Remove beans from the steamer pot and add them to the garlic oil.
- Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
- Reduce heat to low, and continue to saute the beans for 5 minutes, incorporating the flavorful garlic oil and the beans together.
I need to know how to make heart heathy green beans from a can with no salt or oil
Hi Brenda, To make heart-healthy green beans from a can with no salt or oil, you can start by draining and rinsing the canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium. Then, you can sauté them with minced garlic in a non-stick pan using a small amount of water. Hope this helps
-Christina & Alexa