Green beans are such a versatile vegetable. I love coming up with different flavor combinations for them. They steam quickly, so they are always a great throw-together side dish. I love jarred roasted red peppers for the same reason—they are a flavorful, convenient ingredient to have on hand. So it made sense to combine the two to create this simple and tasty side dish. Note that, as the recipe is written, these green beans are very crisp, which is how I like them. Feel free to cook them longer if you like softer beans.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 pound green beans, trimmed

　　1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

　　1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic

　　1/2 cup thinly sliced, drained jarred roasted red bell pepper strips

　　Sea salt and pepper, to taste

　　

Stovetop Instructions

Step 1

Place a steamer insert in a large pot and add enough water to reach just below the insert. Place the pot over high heat, cover with a lid, and bring the water to a boil. Add the green beans and re-cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Steam the beans for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Drain them well.

　　

Step 2

When the beans are almost done, place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic begins to soften. Add the bell peppers, followed by the green beans. Toss the mixture 1 to 2 minutes, or until it is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

　　

Microwave Instructions

Step 3

Follow the directions above, except instead of cooking the beans in a steamer, add 3 tablespoons water and the green beans to a medium microwave-safe bowl or dish. Cover the dish with a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the beans are crisp-tender. Drain them well.

　　

nutrition information

Step 4

Each (1-cup) serving has:

　　

Step 5

Calories: 52

　　

Step 6

Protein: 1g

　　

Step 7

Carbohydrates: 10g

　　

Step 8

Fat: 1g

　　

Step 9

Trace Saturated Fat

　　

Step 10

Cholesterol: 0mg

　　

Step 11

Fiber: 4g

　　

Step 12

Sodium: 113mg

　　Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.