A healthier option that’s so fast and easy to make, you almost have to!
Ok, who’s with me on this one….. We love Thanksgiving, but a lot of the traditional dishes are so heavy and rich. Especially if you’re used to eating healthy! These Roasted French Green Beans are the perfect light and healthy foil to balance those cream and butter laden mashed potatoes. The lemon adds a perfect bright acidity to the dish.
French Beans vs Regular Beans
French green beans, aka h’aricots verts, are more tender and delicate that regular green beans. They make for a slightly more refined and special dish for you and your guests! These are so easy and take only 15-minutes to bake, as your turkey is resting.
APC Smart-Planning Tip:
The day before Thanksgiving, trim the beans, squeeze juice of the 2 lemons, mince garlic – and seal them in separate zip-loc bags. The bean bag (haha!) will be the largest, so I place the 3 smaller bags with the lemon juice, lemon slices and garlic, inside with the beans so that no one gets separated.
If you’re cooking while enjoying a cocktail on Thanksgiving….believe me, it’s much easier. ;-). As your turkey rests, just toss with olive, lemon, garlic – and roast!
Healthy Roasted French Green Beans with Lemon & Garlic
Ingredients
- 2 pounds French Green Beans trimmed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons , plus more for slicing
- Kosher Sea Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with foil. You want the beans to be in a single-layer for roasting. Otherwise they won’t roast evenly. Some will steam, some will roast. No Bueno.
If you prepped the beans the day before
- Just add olive oil and garlic to the zip-loc bag of beans and shake to coat. In a single layer, spread beans onto the baking sheets, squeezing lemon juice over the top, place lemon slices on top.
If preparing Thanksgiving Day
- On the baking sheets, toss green beans with olive oil and garlic. In a single layer, spread beans onto the baking sheets. Squeeze lemon over beans, place thinly sliced lemon slices on top.
- Roast until browned and al-dente tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with kosher sea salt and pepper.
- The lemon slices are pretty, festive and it gives guests a hint of what’s in the dish. Roast until browned and al dente tender, about 10-minutes. Season to taste with kosher sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Layer into a pretty serving dish. Done!
