Here's the Dish

Easy Green Beans with Lemon and Cumin

By Charlotte on July 18, 2012 6:35 AM

Everyone in our house goes for green beans, especially when they're fresh from the garden. 

So we had fun trying this scrumptious side from The New Atkins for a New You Cookbook (Touchstone, January 2012, $19.95). You can substitute yellow wax beans if desired. The taste and texture are the same but green beans are higher in folate and beta-carotene.

Cumin, a spice used to make curry and chili powders, has a little kick we Texans adore. I routinely sprinkle its peppery goodness into everything from bean dip to chili but mixing it with lemon? There's a nice way to wake up your veggies without adding unneeded calories.

 

Like many of the 200 ideas in Atkins' new collection, this easy recipe has fewer than 10 ingredients and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

 

Yes! Three simple steps to done. First, you boil the green beans until just tender, putting them in cold water to stop cooking.  Heat butter, olive oil and cumin briefly to really bring out the flavor. Then add the beans, salt, pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice, sautéing until just brown.

 

Want a real treat? Pair this tasty side with Atkins' Tarragon Braised Chicken.  

 

 

 

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (such as Three Olives; its mellow, fruity taste complements this dish perfectly)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and simmer until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; plunge beans into a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again.

 

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add cumin and sauté until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add beans, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper; sauté until beans are crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Serve hot.

 

Tip Time: One Pot, Less Work

Cut down on clean-up time by cooking the beans in a large pot. After draining the beans in a colander, wipe the pot dry and then sauté them in the same pot rather than in a skillet.

 

PER SERVING:

Net Carbs:             3 grams

Total Carbs:           6 grams

Fiber:                     3 grams

Protein:                  1 gram

Fat:                        3 grams

Calories:                50

 

Recipe from the The New Atkins for a New You Cookbook, 200 Simple and Delicious Low-Carb Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less*

 

Author: Colette Heimowitz

 

Publisher: Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

 

Penned: January 2012

 

Other Works: Colette Heimowitz, vice president of nutrition and education at Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., has more than 25 years of experience as a nutritionist.

 

Time Out: 266 pages

 

Available: $19.95/paperback at Amazon and most book retailers

 

* Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

  

 

 

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