Skillet Green Beans with Spiced Walnuts

I'm forever looking for an interesting way to serve green beans. I like them, but am not a fan of just steaming them or blanching them. I want flavor with them. 

Enter this recipe.  I pulled it out of my Light and Healthy 2011 cookbook from America's Test Kitchen.  Their recipes are so thorough and thought through. 

What I really liked about this recipe is you have a super hot pan which flash cooks the beans and they get brown and crunchy.  Yum.

Super easy, and low calorie.  130 calories per serving.

Skillet Green Beans with Spiced Walnuts

Photo by Life is Full 2011

Recipe from Light & Healthy 2011
Serves 4

1/4 c walnuts, chopped coarse
1 T unsalted butter
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb green beans, trimmed (I cut mine in half too)
1/4 c water

Toast the walnuts in a 12 inch skillet over medium-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Don't turn your back on them, they can burn quickly.

Add the butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, ginger, cayenne, and 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Transfer the walnut mixture to a bowl and set aside.  Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

Heat the oil in the skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the green beans and 1/8 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4-6 minutes.

Add the water, cover and cook until the green beans are bright green but still crisp, 2-3 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and continue to cook until the water evaporates and the beans are crisp-tender and lightly browned, 3-5 minutes longer.

Off the heat, stir in the reserved walnut mixture. Season with salt and pepper if need be.