Fresh Sautéed Lemon Basil Green Beans are cooked with mushrooms and onions in tangy lemon juice with basil seasoning for a fresh and healthy serving of veggies.
I’m literally falling asleep at the computer and it’s 2:30 in the afternoon. Seriously, I’m editing pictures and have no idea what I’m doing. My eyes will shut and then all of the sudden they open and I can’t figure out what I’ve saved, where I’ve left off, or even what I’m looking at.
I need a break.
So how about I share a recipe for a super simple, super easy, super healthy side dish???
It will do us both a favor. It will keep my face from slamming into my keyboard, and you get a yummy recipe. Deal.
So everyone knows that lemon and basil just go together. There is no question about it. Whether you’re making pesto, butter, pasta, or cooking chicken…whatever it is, these two flavors harmonize.
Now I’m all about forcing my kids to try new things, especially when it comes to vegetables. I can pretty much guarantee that they will eat carrots…okay, that’s actually about it.
We’ve had luck here and there with asparagus, broccoli, potatoes, celery, cucumbers, and some other mainstream vegetables. But, it’s so frustrating because one day they’ll love them and the next I can hardly get them to take a bite. Makes me want to scream.
AHHHHHHH!
Okay, I feel better.
In all seriousness, I think it is so important to base the majority of your diet off of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. We’ve got the first two down, but I’m afraid that the third will always be a work in progress.
Even as adults it’s sometimes hard to want to pick vegetables over other options. Don’t get me wrong, I love my veggies. But I also love other foods…more. It takes a conscious effort to eat those greens…and yellows, and oranges, and reds…well to eat the “rainbow”.
And that’s why I’m always trying to dress up my veggies. To make them shine!
I want to pop that plant in my mouth and have it dance around with all kinds of flavor and goodness.
I want texture and crunch, some zip and zing, a little aroma and a lot of flare. I want it ALL!!!
I want, I want, I WANT!!!
Well, if there’s anything I’ve learned in the past 31 years, it’s the fact that if you want something, you gotta do it yourself.
So I did.
My latest vegetable creation are these Sautéed Lemon Basil Green Beans and they meet every veggie requirement on my wish list.
They have texture from the little bit of crunch left in the green beans, they have some zip and zing from the lemon and crumbled goat cheese (which, by the way, melts into your mouth with every single bite!), they have aroma floating all over the place from the onions and basil, and they definitely have flare with those tomatoes just hanging out in all their bright red prettiness.
See? Checklist complete!
An extra perk of these green beans, aside from all these other magnificent pros I just pointed out, is they only take about 20 minutes to make. I zapped the green beans in the microwave with a bit of water before I sautéed them to cut down on cooking time.
Green beans can take a while to get soft if you just throw them in the pan, and depending on what kind of oil you use and it’s heat threshold, the oil can start to taste a bit burned by the time the beans reach a desired tenderness. So pre-boiling or steaming in the microwave avoids this issue.
As the green beans are heating in the microwave, you have time to cook the onions and the mushrooms, getting them perfectly soft. This is also where you add the lemon juice since the onions and mushrooms both soak up the liquid nicely. Each bite of onion and mushroom gives you a tangy zip of lemon flavor.
The grape tomatoes mixed throughout are quite a treat with their mild acidity and light sweetness. The juice just pops in your mouth with every bite. Too delicious!
But the best part of these green beans is the crumbled goat cheese on top. Because the beans are still warm when you serve them, the goat cheese just melts into the green bean mixture and gives it this lovely creamy, tangy coating.
It really is a shame that this side dish didn’t last any longer. I’m really wishing I had a plateful to snack on as I type…or anything to keep me awake, for that matter.
So zippity doo da, have a nice day! And if you need a little wake me up…well, don’t read this post. We all know reading puts everyone to sleep. So, just go take a nap.
And then make some green beans!
What do you do for a midday pick me up?
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ onion, julienned into ⅛" thick strips
- 1 cup sliced baby Bella mushrooms
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons freshly chopped basil
- 1 pound fresh green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 2" pieces
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan. As pan is heating, put beans in a microwave safe dish with 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave for 5-6 minutes until almost desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.
- Once oil is hot, reduce heat to slightly about medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and sauté for 6 minutes more, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Add lemon juice and cook until reduced, about 4 minutes. Add green beans, salt, and basil and sauté for 3-5 minutes more or until beans reach desired tenderness. Season with pepper. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tomatoes.
- Serve warm with crumbled goat cheese on top.
