Spicy Green Beans from the 5 Ingredients for Healthy Living Cookbook

Clients constantly say veggies are so boring. Be bored no more!! This ten minute recipe is bursting with flavor from one of my favorite spices garam masala and is a treat for your eyes when you use black sesame seeds.  This quick dish looks so fancy you will feel like company at your own dinner table!

What’s not to like…a new way to fix your green beans with only 4 more ingredients!

Ingredients Beans, coconut oil, garlic, garam masala spice blend and sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp. virgin coconut oil
  • 2 cloves, garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. garam masala spice blend**
  • 1 lb. green beans, trimmed
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. sesame seeds

Melt oil in large skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic, garam masala, beans, water and salt. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until beans are crisp tender. Remove cover and increase heat to medium high. Cook 5 minutes longer until water evaporates. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving. Makes four servings.

Nutrition per serving: 55 Calories; 1.7 gm  Protein; 2.7 gm Fat; 6 gm Carbohydrate; 153 gm Sodium

Laurie and I paired the Spicy Green Beans with the Teriyaki Steak Kabobs from the 5 Ingredient Cookbook and a tasty cauliflower puree.  For dessert we served a gluten and wheat free strawberry shortcake dessert with a balsamic vinegar reduction!

**Garam Masala is a blend of ground spices used extensively in Indian cuisine.  It is usually includes coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. The spices for garam masala are usually toasted to bring out more flavor and then ground. Garam masala is usually added to a dish near the end of cooking. If you want to make your own, Laurie and I have a recipe for a garam masala indian spice blend in our 5 Ingredient Cookbook. In the fall, one of my favorite recipes is for baked squash with a little butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup and garam masala.