Recipe: Thai Green Beans

These green beans offer sweet and spicy flavors along with the distinctive taste of cilantro and Thai basil. The texture, color and taste of these beans make it a great side dish, and you can also use the sauce to pour over grilled white fish or chicken.

Ingredients

1 pound green beans
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar substitute
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Thai basil
2 tablespoons crushed or chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Cook the green beans in boiling water and cover until crisp. Drain and return to the pot.
2. Combine the oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar substitute, red pepper flakes, garlic and lime juice. Toss with the green beans. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and top with the peanuts.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 80
Total fat: 3.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrate: 11 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 50 mg
Potassium: 385 mg

Source: Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide and Cookbook (© 2007 Broadway Books).