Part 2: Making over Thanksgiving favorites to break free from the control mindset so we don’t miss out on our destiny.
For the full Glow Up lesson write up see Part 1.
In Part 1 we gave mashed potatoes a makeover by swapping potatoes for a vegetable that deserves more air time, celeriac. In Part 2, we are keeping green beans as the main star, but we are changing the sauce. Can of mushroom and all its preservatives has gots to go! We are remaking the sauce fresh, dairy free, and protein rich! We are also making crispy gluten free onions to bling it up!
THREE TIMESAVER TIPS
FROZEN CUT GREEN BEANS. For a faster, yet not as bright green finish, use frozen cut green beans. A 2 lb bag of fresh beans, which would serve apx 7 people, would take 5-7 min to cut. If you are serving a crowd, you can see how frozen would save you a lot of time! A small family gathering not so much, but it would still save some minutes. If you do use frozen, place in fridge the day before to thaw out overnight.
You could alternatively not cut into bite size pieces and keep whole, but you may still have to trim, which is cutting off the tip of the stem end where it was once attached to the plant.
FRESH GREEN BEANS IN BAGS. To save time on using fresh, they now sell prewashed green beans in bags. Not only are they prewashed, they usually are very similar in size which allows you to lay them next to each other to trim and cut more at at time.
OVEN TO TABLE DISHWARE. Use an oven to table dish when baking the green beans. Check the temperature limits, which is usually found on the bottom of the dish, and make sure not to exceed the max. The casserole can be made ahead and just warmed the day off, in case if you are making a turkey and it needs a higher set temp to cook. Also make sure the dish looks good on the table scape! I always love going for white, as if you are a guest you know it will match. Plus the white lets the dish shine!
TEXTURE
Whether you like crispier or softer green beans is a personal preference. You may not be able to please everyone at the table, so unless you are set on one texture type, I’d stick with the one your family is used to. The green beans will pretty much maintain the same texture before and after coming out of the oven, just slightly softer. So make sure to boil them in salted water to the firmness you want them to be prior to baking. Drain immediately to prevent overcooking. For fresh green beans I boil apx 5-7 minutes.
VIDEO NOTES
On the live, I made onion circles for the crispy topping which made using a mandoline practically necessary. Although it makes the flour coating and laying on air fryer quicker, this is not needed. You can make just half moons or pieces. Cut onion in half, then lay flat side down to cut.
Originally I did add mushrooms to this dish which I omitted simply because I ran out of time to prep. (The live was already late-sometimes prep which happens after my work day takes longer than expected!) Traditionally green bean casserole is made with can of mushroom sauce. To bring mushroom flavor you can add to the green beans and just mix with sauce and bake, or you can stir fry some in coconut oil, butter flavor or ghee, to nicely caramelize and place on top. I haven’t done this yet, but saw on Bon Appetit and definitely going to try for that extra sexy curb appeal I love!
NO NEED TO BAKE! After filming, I gave the casserole another test run without baking. It worked! Left an even creamier finish!
Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions
Equipment
- 1 BLENDER
- 1 Oven
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 stove pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs GREEN BEANS
SAUCE
- 1 pkg SILKEN TOFU
- 2 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
- 2 tbsp TAHINI
- 1½ tbsp NUTRITONAL YEAST
- 7 PITTED DATES, softened
- ¼ cup SWEET ONION or 1 tsp ONION POWDER You can use part of the sweet onion from the onion rings
- 1 ½ tbsp LEMON JUICE or RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
- ½ tsp SEA SALT
CRISPY ONIONS
- 1 SWEET ONION
- ¼ cup GLUTEN FREE FLOUR BLEND
- 2 tsp PAPRIKA
- 1 tsp WHITE VINEGAR
- 1 cup COCONUT MILK
- ½ tsp ONION POWDER
- ½ tsp GARLIC POWDER
- ½ tsp SEA SALT
- ¼ tsp PEPPER
- 1 tsp DRIED THYME
Instructions
SAUCE
- Blend all ingredients till smooth. If dates are not blending, allow to sit for 15 min then blend again.
- Place in stove pot on low medium heat and cook until sauce is warm.
GREEN BEANS
- Trim off the hard bit where the bean was attached to the plant. Cut green beans into 2" pieces or keep whole.
- Cook green beans in lightly salted boiling water for 7 minutes, or until desired softness, then immediately pour in a strainer and rinse with cold water.
- Allow to air dry at least a few minutes then place in a mixing bowl with the sauce. Use a spatula or tongs to coat green beans with sauce. Place in the dish you will present on the table.
CRISPY ONIONS
- Peel then slice onion thinly by hand or use a mandoline. You do not need to make onion rings, so you can cut onion in half and place flat side down to cut.
- Mix coconut milk and vinegar. Soak onions in it for at least 10 minutes.
- On plate mix flour and spices. Spread on plate.
- Place onions a few at a time on the flour mixture. Spoon over more of the flour and pat down. If the onions aren't too wet you can just flip over and press down to coat. Make and add more flour mix as needed.
- Place in air fryer for 7-10 min or until crispy.
- Top green beans with crispy onions when ready to place on the table.
