Green Bean Almondine

Springtime in the South guarantees green beans will make their way to the dinner table. Looking at this picture and you can practically taste the salty-sweet flavors your mother created by mingling grilled bacon and brown sugar. 

Under the Eden Tree, we don't use bacon and we try to find better alternatives to standard granulated sugars. The honey and cracked pepper in this recipe replicate the flavor combination you love. Pick up some fresh green beans and try this vegan version of the American Southern classic. 

Ingredients:

Hot water

Cold Water

2 cups of Ice

1/4 pound of Green Beans (cut the ends, if not already done)

1 1/2 tablespoons of local Honey

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

1/4 cup of sliced Almonds

Also needed: paper towel

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325*F. Line two baking trays (one small and one medium) with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray. 

Bring a large saucepan, half filled with water, to a full boil Prepare a cold water bath by filling a mixing bowl half-full with cold water and placing the ice cubes in. 

Put your green beans in the boiling water and blanch them for three minutes. You can set a timer. They will be a bright, beautiful green. Quickly remove them from the boiling pot and place them in the cold water bath. Allow them to sit for about 3 minutes. 

Remove the green beans from the ice bath and dry them on a piece of paper towel. Once the excess water has been dried from them, lay them on the medium-sized baking tray you prepped. Coat them well with the honey. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. (Note: cracked pepper from a grinder gives that delicious pepper flavor you loved from the bacon.)On the second baking tray, lay your almond slices.

Place both trays in the oven side by side, or if you don't have room, place the almonds on the top shelf and the green beans on the bottom. Cook both trays until the almonds toast to a lovely golden brown, about 12 minutes. 

Remove both trays from the oven. Lay the greens beans on a serving plate and top with the toasted almonds. 

This recipe is:

- Vegan/Vegetarian

- Gluten-Free