G is for Green Beans

I know, I know….we skipped the letter ‘F’. Actually, it works out that ‘F’ and ‘I’ go together in this series.

Stay tuned a couple more weeks to find out the scoop (pun intended). In the meantime, let’s look at G is for Green Beans.

Green beans are synonymous with the holidays in my family. But we don’t usually have the typical green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. Instead, my mom makes this sautéed green bean recipe for Christmas and New Year’s Eve every year. One of the best things about food is that certain dishes can bring back comforting, nostalgic feelings. When I eat this dish, I’m always reminded of past celebrations with family. I experience that same happiness I felt laughing around the dinner table as we shared a lovely dinner together. Do you have any dishes that make you feel nostalgic?

This recipe is very customizable. You just need a fat source, green beans, and your favorite spices. For this, I used pancetta, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper, but feel free to change it up! You can use bacon instead of pancetta, or even make it meatless and use olive oil. I like the petite or French cut green beans because they are smaller and cook faster. You can use regular green beans, you will just need to increase the cooking time a bit since they are bigger.

Sautéed Pancetta and Green Beans

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 oz cubed pancetta
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-12 oz package frozen petite or French cut green beans
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds

Instructions
 

  • Sauté pancetta and garlic over medium heat for about a few minutes, or until desired level of crispiness is achieved. Remove pancetta and garlic and set aside in a bowl.
  • Add green beans, onion powder, salt, and pepper to pan. If you want a little more oil, add a tsp of olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the beans are hot all the way through.
  • While the beans are cooking, toast the almond slivers in a separate pan over medium heat. These will burn quickly, so keep an eye on them and toss them often.
  • When green beans are done, add the pancetta and garlic back to the pan and warm. Toss in the slivered almonds and mix to combine.

Post and recipe courtesy of Seena Curry.  Seena is a dietetics student at University of Alabama and expects to graduate in December. She hopes to find a career as a Registered Dietitian that combines her passions for food, nutrition education, and serving her community. Seena is a hobbyist food photographer and has an Instagram dedicated to her favorite recipes (sc_balancedeats). 

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