Green Bean Amandine
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Green Bean Amandine: Crisp-Tender Green Beans Topped with Sautéed Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds.
Was it a good weekend, dear reader? We celebrated with family and friends, ate a bit too much (delicious) food, and enjoyed a lovely service at church. It was one of those weekends you wish happened more often, and also one of those weekends you need just a day or two to recover from. I’m not as ahead as I have been during other seasons in the history of this blog, so while I have several recipes photographed and edited, I find I’ve been balancing my time such that writing time is harder to come by. Such is life!
In most ways this has been a good balance. I’ve been making a conscious effort to try to fit in some yoga or running or walking to help me de-stress. I’m trying to unplug for a little while each night. I’m reading more books. I’m trying to learn a little about self-care. I don’t know why or how it started, but I often feel like I need to take the martyr stance as a mom. I feel like it’s my job to put everyone else first all the time, and then if there’s anything left of me to take care of, I might almost think about it. It hasn’t been a healthy place to be, and I’m trying to get over some of the guilt I’ve had escaping upstairs to paint my nails or slipping outside for a walk when there are still dishes on the counter. I don’t know where the guilt came from, but I’m working on it. As most things are, it’s a process.
Part of my efforts have included simplifying meals as much as possible. We’ve had more repeats lately than we’ve had in the history of our marriage. I’ve also made an effort to include lots of whole foods, prepared simply and deliciously. The sort of meals that help you feel like home, but also help you feel good–vibrant, happy, full of energy. Green Bean Amandine is one of those meals.
Growing up, we’d eat this with canned green beans and lots of toasted almonds. It was one of my favorites. As my tastes have changed a bit, I prefer fresh or frozen green beans, and I can’t resist adding mushrooms. The recipe below is our home-base–steamed (or blanched) green beans, toasted almonds, and sautéed mushrooms. Sometimes we add a splash of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice. Other times, I might toss in a minced clove of garlic in with the mushrooms. If I have them on hand, I might finish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. In my dairy days, I used butter for sautéing the mushrooms, but these days, I love olive oil. Feel free to change the recipe as much as you please. Seriously… Don’t like green beans? This method would work with asparagus. Hate mushrooms? Skip ’em. However you fix it, do be sure to eat it alongside something tasty–maybe some fish or chicken, or a nice baked sweet potato. You could even toss this with some cooked brown rice and make it a full meal itself.
What are your favorite healthy comfort foods? I’m on the hunt for tasty, comforting inspiration!
Green Bean Amandine (gf, df, v)
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Crisp-tender green beans topped with toasted almonds and sautéed mushrooms. Feel free to try any of the variations!
Ingredients
- 3/4–1lb green beans, ends trimmed, and cut into 1–2” pieces
- 8oz mushrooms (button or baby bellas are nice, but any will do), halved or quartered if large
- 1/4–1/3c toasted almonds* (sliced, slivered, or chopped are all fine)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Optional, for variations: 2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a clove of garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Steam or blanch** green beans for 2-5 minutes, or until crisp-tender (if you like them softer, just cook them longer).
- Meanwhile, add a drizzle of olive oil to a medium pan. Heat oil over medium heat, then add mushrooms. Cook mushrooms, stirring regularly until browned and tender. (If adding garlic, add to mushrooms here and cook 1 additional minute). Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss cooked green beans with mushrooms. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. If desired, top with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.
- Toss green beans with mushrooms.
Notes
*My favorite way to toast almonds is in a small pan over medium-low heat. Stir them regularly for 5-10 minutes, so that they brown evenly. Remove from heat.
**To blanch green beans, fill a medium saucepan nearly full of water and bring to a boil. Add green beans and cook just a few minutes, until green color is vibrant and they are crisp tender. If desired, you can then transfer them to an ice bath or bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
For me comfort food is anything I can put in my crockpot and know dinner is there no matter how busy the day gets. I especially love a hearty roast cooking away or warm soup (your bean recipe is a favorite). Breakfast for dinner is also comforting to me…and it is never fancy – eggs and bacon or pancakes or waffles or even oatmeal work great.
Can’t wait to make this tonight! Green beans are super cheap this time of year. My favorite healthy comfort food is arroz al horno- baked rice with chickpeas. It is arborio baked in a sauce of tomato, beef broth and smoked paprika with chick peas and optional sliced smoked sausage. My host mom in Spain used to cook it for me and it is super yummy and filling.
That sounds INCREDIBLE!!!
Our new fav is rosemary chicken. I am sure it’s not new to you, but its so simple and we love it. We just pull out frozen chicken breasts or tenders,cook witha little olive oil, lemon juice and rosemary. we usually pair it with a green veggie and potato wedges.
Sending lots of love and hugs from the Rollins’!
Oh, yum! That sounds so good!