Healthy And Easy Thanksgiving Recipe!

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I’m sure you know what that means—family gatherings and lots of food! While a lot of people think holiday season equals weight gain, you can avoid packing on the pounds and still enjoy your meal by giving a “healthy” twist to the traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Thanks to MayoClinic.com, here’s a great “healthy” Thanksgiving recipe you can try! Remember healthy food CAN be delicious, too!

Green beans with red pepper and garlic ("Green beans, aka string beans or snap beans, are good sources of fiber and vitamin C. To preserve their fresh flavor and texture, blanch (parboil) the beans, immerse them in ice water to set their color, then saute briefly").

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, stems trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and julienne

1/2 teaspoon chili paste or red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Cut the beans into 2-inch pieces, and bring a large saucepan 3/4 full of water to a boil.
Add the beans and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp (about one to three minutes).
Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for about one minute.
Add the beans and saute for one minute longer, then add the chili paste and garlic and stir for one minute. (The beans will be tender and bright green).
Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

What are your other healthy Thanksgiving veggie dishes?

For tips and nutritional information for this dish, please visit mayoclinic.com