Healthy Monday Featured Recipe:

Green Bean Salad with Almonds

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole roasted almonds
2 tablespoons tamari
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped roughly (optional)

Directions
Place almonds in a small nonstick sauté pan. Lightly toast over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon tamari and stir until the almonds are coated evenly, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cool. Chop almonds roughly.

Prepare a large bowl of ice water. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook beans until crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer to the bowl of ice water. Remove green beans and drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and remaining 1 tablespoon of tamari. Add the drained green beans and toss to coat. Garnish with roasted almonds and fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately, while warm. Serves 6.

Nutrition facts per serving
150 calories; 5 g protein; 11 g fat; 11 g carbohydrate

Source: Copyright 2009 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

TIP! "Shocking" the cooked green beans in ice water prevents them from overcooking, preserving their bright-green color. The tamari almonds are delicious -- you may want to make extra for snacking.