Green Beans with Brazil Nuts and Basil
Green bean recipes are a little like socks; everybody has a few. I came across a website that boasted 471 green bean recipes. By the time I linked to it a second later, they were up to 472, so clearly it’s a popular vegetable. This dish is dairy-free and delicious. Instead of a common cheese topping, I use finely ground Brazil nuts, which you’ll swear taste like Parmesan cheese. Why Brazil nuts? Because they’re an amazing source of selenium, a mineral that some scientists believe lessens chemo’s toxic effects on healthy cells.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a generous amount of water (about 8 cups) to a boil. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the green beans and cook until tender but still crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Drain the green beans, then run them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the shallot and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in the beans, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add several grinds of pepper, a spritz of the lemon juice, and the nuts. Toss with the basil and lemon zest before serving.
variation
Step 3
If you don’t have Brazil nuts, Maple-Glazed Walnuts (page 141) make a great substitute.
storage
Step 4
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
nutrition information
Step 5
(per serving)
Step 6
Calories: 320
Step 7
Total Fat: 8.3g (1.1g saturated, 4.1g monounsaturated)
Step 8
Carbohydrates: 47g
Step 9
Protein: 18g
Step 10
Fiber: 12g
Step 11
Sodium: 110mg
CULINARY RX
Step 12
Nuts may suppress the growth of cancers because they contain the antioxidants quercetin and kaempferol. Brazil nuts have especially powerful anticancer properties, as each one contains 80 micrograms of selenium, a trace mineral that may fight prostate cancer.
