Foodie Friday – Green Beens with Olives and Sun Dried Tomotoes.

As I shared last Friday one of my New Year’s resolutions was to get fit in 2013 by not necessarily going on a diet but incorporating healthy foods and exercise in to my regimen.  I decided to really put myself in check by taking “before” pics of myself.  Oh my…you want a quick way to jump start a new health program, take some pictures of yourself in your tight little work out clothes (that  no longer fit) and see what that does to your motivation.

Continuing on with Healthy Recipe Guest Posts for Foodie Friday…today we have a great dish by one of my favorite blogging chef’s Lindsey Johnson. Take it away Lindsey!

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 Hi! I’m Lindsey Johnson from Cafe Johnsonia. (http://www.cafejohnsonia.com) I am so happy Michelle asked me to pop over and share a healthy recipe with all of you.

I am no stranger to healthy eating. A few years ago I decided to see if changing my diet and adding a lot more veggies and whole foods would help me feel better. I learned through trial and error that I could no longer enjoy much dairy or meat. I also became gluten-free. The rest of my family does not have those kinds of restrictions, thank goodness! It’s been a fun, but sometimes daunting, task to find or create recipes for our whole family to enjoy within those parameters. I tend to lean towards recipes that I can use as my main dish and side for everyone else. This is one of those recipes. I eat it on rice and the rest of the family can have it as a side to beef, chicken, or pork. It would also be great with fish.

Adding olives, pine nuts, herbs, garlic, and my old favorite, sun-dried tomatoes, to the otherwise bland green beans makes for a really delicious combination that is full of flavor, and very healthy. If you aren’t off dairy, a few shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano would be fantastic on top.

I use frozen green beans when I can’t find good-quality fresh beans. The thinner haricot verts work a little better than larger beans because they are more tender and they cook more quickly, which is a plus on a hectic night when I’m trying to pull dinner together.

Here’s to a healthy start to 2013!

Sauteed Green Beans with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup julienned or roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes*
1/2 cup chopped olives (I used an assortment of kalamata and green olives)
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. or so white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lbs. fresh or frozen green beans
Hot, cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large, 10-12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until it starts to soften and turn lightly golden brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and basil. Lower the heat a bit and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the green beans and a little bit of water. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. (Go easy on the salt because the olives will be salty.) Continue cooking until beans are tender crisp. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve on top of hot rice for a main dish or as a side to fish, chicken or pork.

Makes enough for 4-6 servings.

*If using the sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, use less olive oil for sauteing, or use oil from the jar for even more flavor.
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Lindsey Johnson

www.cafejohnsonia.com
Keep up with me on Twitter: @cafe_johnsonia
Facebook: facebook.com/cafejohnsonia
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lindseyjohnson
Named one of Babble.com’s Top 100 Mom Food Blogs

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Thanks so much Lindsey, this dish looks devine! Don’t forget to check out more of Lindsey’s delicious dishes as Cafe Johsonia. To see last week’s dish by Melissa at Lulu the Baker go here.