On this one, I am not a traditionalist - this green bean casserole tops the expected dish

I know I'm a weirdo, but I hate the traditional Green Bean Casserole. It's mushy and salty and you can't even taste the green beans. But, that's just me.

The family loves the casserole so I make it, but for me, I prefer roasted green beans so I look for recipes that make those fiber-licious beans shine.

I found a recipe while surfing the web recently that satisfied my craving for crunchy beans and a crispy topping that beats any mix of canned ingredients by a long shot.

I tweaked it a little bit using walnuts instead of almonds for even more crunch. I added extra garlic for a  little more zing. You could probably use orange juice and orange zest, instead of the lemon, but I think my version highlights the natural good taste of the green beans.

See what works for you.

Roasted Green Bean and Walnut Casserole

1 pound of green beans, stems trimmed

6 cloves of garlic, diced

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Salt and pepper (lemon pepper, if you have it)

1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme

1/4 cup of walnuts toasted and chopped

• Preheat the oven to 425º.
• Toss together the green beans, a tablespoon of the oil, the garlic, the salt and the pepper in a roasting pan.
• Roast it all up until the beans are tender and light golden brown.
• Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the remaining oil, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, the thyme and the toasted walnuts.
• Transfer everything to a serving dish and garnish it all with some more nuts and a twist of lemon.

Vegan