Summertime and Glorious Green Beans!

What a gorgeous weekend we just had!  I absolutely love Virginia in the summertime, everything is just so pretty, vibrant and even taking a long drive is enjoyable.  Since it was so nice out, we decided to take little Oliver on his first trip to D.C. and wow, he just loved it!  I think everyone loved him too, especially the little kids :)  

I know, I know...you may be asking why he's wearing a PINK harness, but truth be told, it was the smallest one in the store that I could find that would fit him!  At least this harness is meant for a dog....the first harness I had that fit him was for a ferret!

No really, I'm serious.

 

So after a great day of walking around D.C., seeing all the sights and taking tons of pictures, we decided to go to Pinkberry and get some refreshing frozen yogurt (100 calories per serving, love, love, LOVE this place!!) 

Oliver, of course, had to have his pup cup too :) 

  Such a FUN day and I even got a tan, woo hoo!  Now on to the yummy stuff, green beans!

I found these recipes in my Cooking Light magazine (July 2011 issue) and wanted to share both of them because not only were they so good, they were super easy and QUICK to make!  I've been wanting to find new recipes for healthy side dishes and something about fresh green beans screams summer to me.  I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand so this was perfect!

The first recipe is for Sesame-Soy Green Beans and they were absolutely delish!  I loved that they still had a crunchiness to them and the addition of the red pepper flakes gave them just the right kick they needed for tons of flavor.  Make these as a side dish for your next cookout or even tonight with your dinner, they're perfect any time!

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Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 72

Fat: 3.8 g

Carbs: 5 g

Protein:  1 g 

Fiber: 3 g

Old Points: 1.2 pts

Points+: 1 pt

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Here are your ingredients:

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  Add green beans and cook 5 minutes.  Plunge beans into ice water and drain.

Heat dark sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper and saute about 30 seconds.  Add green beans, soy sauce and some salt.  Cook 2 minutes, tossing frequently.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

The next recipe I have is for Green Beans with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette.  This was another favorite of mine and the sliced almonds were a wonderful addition.  This was super easy and quick to make as well and the best part is the vinaigrette would also be great on a salad!

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Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 49.5

Fat: 2.2 g

Carbs: 5 g

Protein: 1 g 

Fiber: 3 g

Old Points: 1 pt

Points+: 1 pt

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Here are your ingredients:

1/2 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
Juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. sugar (or 1 packet of Splenda)
Salt and pepper
Sliced almonds (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a bowl.  Meanwhile, add ice to a large bowl and add about a cup of cold water.  Add green beans to the boiling water, turn to low heat, and cook for about 4 minutes, testing a bean to make sure it is cooked, but still has a nice crunch.  Turn off heat, drain beans and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking process.  Drain and dry the green beans and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  If it is needed, season with more salt and pepper.  Toss the green beans with the dressing, top with some sliced almonds and serve.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe