Green Beans with Bread Crumbs

Want something lighter than a traditional green bean casserole? Try this quick and easy recipe!

Note: You can blanch the green beans up to 3 days before. Dry them well and store them in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator. The bread crumbs will not be crispy after they are refrigerated, so you if you think you will have leftovers, keep the green beans and the bread crumbs separate. Store the bread crumbs in an airtight container at room temperature.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon salt
2 slices of bread, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons of vegan margarine or oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Bring 2 ½ quarts of water to a boil.
Add the green beans and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.
Drain the beans, then immediately transfer them to the ice water bath.
When they no longer feel warm to the touch, drain them again and set them aside.
Add the bread and the remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend until you have fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, chop bread finely with a knife and combine it with the other ingredients in a bowl. Use oil or melted margarine instead of solid margarine since it might be difficult to mix thoroughly.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the bread crumbs and toast them until they are dry and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a small bowl and set them aside.
Add the green beans to the skillet and season them with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper.
Saute them for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to warm them.
Transfer the green beans to a platter and top with the bread crumbs.