French Green Beans with Baby Bella Mushrooms

This is the time of the year when haricots verts ("green beans" in English) are available everywhere. Don't be fooled by fancy-schmancy French names; the main difference from the regular kind is that these are thinner, more delicate green beans with a crisper texture. Either way, green beans are a great ally in the struggle to keep healthy (especially after days of eating heavy Thanksgiving food).

They're rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; I think they're also a great side dish that makes you feel full without packing on the calories. I sautéed the French green beans with baby Bella mushrooms for added flavor and also incorporated caramelized onions, thyme, oregano and basil.
 

Tofu Scramble Recipe with Green Beans

Tofu is probably the ingredient I cook the most. Since there are five vegetarians in my home, I've learned to deep-fry, stir-fry, sauté, boil and grill tofu. My husband Lulu isn't a strict vegetarian; he eats eggs only if they're blended in desserts and the egg taste isn't detectable. He wouldn't eat eggs in the form of an omelet or scrambled eggs. I came up with this vegan egg substitute by boiling tofu as a first step, then scrambling the tofu, then finally sautéing it with turmeric to replicate the color of real eggs.

I cooked the mock scrambled eggs with French green beans and served it with steamed jasmine rice. This meal is complete while remaining healthy and still very tasty. Bon appétit!

French Green Beans with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Haricots verts with oven roasted tomatoes are a great side dish. If you're in the market for a great green bean recipe for Thanksgiving, this might be it! It may look simple, but it’s absolutely bursting with flavor.

Making the dish takes quite a long time but requires very little work. The tomatoes are caramelized in balsamic vinegar, palm sugar and garlic and very slowly roasted for 2 hours. French green beans are very fine and tender, so they require very little cooking. I sautéed them in caramelized onions and added the tomatoes at the last minute. The crunch from the greens and the softness from the tomatoes make a wonderful combination without packing a lot of calories.

Sauteed String Beans (Chinese Green Bean Recipe)

Chinese-style green beans are a delicious side dish. Green beans are deep fried until the outer skin becomes slightly wilted. Once all the beans are fried, they're sautéed in garlic, chili garlic sauce, black bean sauce and soy sauce.

This may not be the healthiest way to prepare green beans, but I can’t get enough of them. The natural sweetness of the green beans balances perfectly with the saltiness from the fermented black beans. On top of that, this vegetable dish is so easy to make, it will take you less time to make it yourself than ordering take-out!
 

Chicken Chow Mein Noodles

I prepare Chicken Chow Mein with king mushrooms, tofu, broccoli, sugar snap peas, green beans, carrots and red bell peppers. The dish couldn't be simpler to make, and is definitely a family favorite. It's a great alternative to pasta, and it's an excellent way to make use of leftovers. I often combine the leftover chicken from my poulet roti with whatever vegetables we have on hand.

Chow Mein is one of the few dishes I can cook where it's very easy to make both vegetarian and meat versions simultaneously. I just set aside a portion of the dish before I add chicken to the rest.