This is my favorite way eat green beans. It's been a family Thanksgiving favorite for years. I know a lot of people serve green bean casserole, but I love having a side that is light and fresh to balance out the other heavy food. This recipe is also a great option for family or friends that have allergies as it is gluten and dairy free.

Garlic Green Beans

Ingredients:

3 lbs green beans, stemmed

2 TBSP olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper

optional ingredients: bacon, parmesan cheese

* FOR THANKSGIVING: a good serving size of green beans is about 1/2 pound (8 oz) per person if they’re one of several side dishes- or 1/3 pound (5-6 oz) if you’re serving many sides.

So for example, if you have 20 people, you will want 8-10 lbs of green beans.

Directions:

Toss your green beans in a pan with some minced garlic and a splash of olive oil at medium high heat. Saute for just a couple minutes. Then add a few table spoons of water, and cover with a lid for about 5-8 minutes.

You know when the beans are done when they are a nice bright green color (I don't rely on exact cooking times). You can test the green beans with a fork to see if they are the tender texture you are looking for. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Sometimes if I'm in a pinch, I'll use garlic salt in place of the salt and minced garlic.