In years past, I’ve been relatively lukewarm about the Thanksgiving dinner. Not sure why, I just was. Yet, over the years I’ve grown to look forward to the meal… maybe it’s because I’ve taken a slightly bigger roll in contributing side dishes, or maybe I’ve come to appreciate all the different flavors, either way, I’m all for the feast now….
When I posed the question as to what people wanted to see regarding holiday content, an overwhelming number of responses were requests for “healthier” side dishes. Given that there are so many different Thanksgiving sides, I decided to tackle one of our family’s favorite: The Green Bean Casserole. There are so many different recipes out there… both super simple + a little more complex… so I decided to combine a few together to create a “lighter” dairy free + gluten free option… that was approved by TJ + my family.
You can snag all these ingredients at Trader Joe’s, which makes prep for your side easy (running around to different stores is one of the more stressful aspects of Thanksgiving prep). I replaced almonds + Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (and how to make it at home if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s close by) to mimic the crispy onions that are traditionally used in green bean casseroles… and almonds have so many health benefits… so you’re literally eating for your health, right?? I used almond flour instead of regular flour for the thickening agent of the sauce (makes it gluten free)… and subbed a dairy free milk for regular milk to make it dairy free……
Also, my monthly Q+A will be on the blog Friday. Please feel free to e-mail any questions you may have.
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
8 oz of mushrooms, diced
2 cups unsweetened Almond Milk (or any non dairy milk option)
1/2 onion diced
2 garlic cubes
1/4 cup almond flour
3 tbsp avocado oil
16oz of green beans (ends cut + cooked)
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
4 sprigs of fresh Thyme
Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (or, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s mix Sea Salt, Onion Salt, + Pepper together)
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Sauté the onions until they are translucent.
2. Add in mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add additional oil and garlic
4. Add in the almond flour and stir until absorbed.
5. While stirring the mushroom mixture, pour in milk + add thyme
6. Bring mixture to a boil
7. Mix in green beans, as well as 1/4 cup slivered almonds
8. Pour mixture into a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes.
9. Once finished, top with 1/4 cup of slivered almonds + a generous helping of Everything But The Bagel Seasoning
If you’re looking for a delicious + healthy (I double the recipe just so we can have loads of leftovers the following day) chicken sausage + herb stuffing this is the one I make every year… and it’s a hit with everyone!
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