Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

Oh wow, this is a definite keeper in my arsenal of Cooking Light recipes focusing on  fresh food, no gluten, and extremely easy!

I love green beans, but my usual way of cooking them is to open cans, pour in an iron pot, and slow cook for an hour until they are no longer squeaky. I know. It sounds awful, but add a little bit of bacon and a teaspoon of sugar, and it’s a Southern delicacy. I happen to know that bacon cooked in green beans has ended wars, stopped divorces, and brought about world peace.

However…..I like to try new things. I’ve seen people on Food Network cook green beans in 5 minutes and proclaim their own version of green bean utopia. I’ve never believed it. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? Well, caramelized onions fix a lot of things. And I have a new green bean recipe.

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Walnuts

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

4 cups thinly vertically sliced onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

1. Cook the green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, and drain well.

2. Place walnuts in a large nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat 7 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan frequently. Remove walnuts from pan; set aside. Add 4 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and thyme to pan; cook 17 minutes or until onion is very tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove onion mixture from pan; keep warm.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add green beans; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Add onion mixture and vinegar to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with nuts, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.