I’ve owed you guys a healthy recipe for awhile now. It’s been Candyland up in here, what with the birthday bars and Oreo cookie pie and flourless chocolate cake. I mean, Une Vie Saine does mean “a healthy life.” Yeah…let’s get on that.

This green bean salad is another adaptation of an NGI recipe; once again, I subbed out some of the harder to find ingredients with simpler stuff. The beans are lightly cooked so they keep plenty of texture, the hazelnuts add a nice roasted crunch, and the dressing is light but tangy. It would be great served with some salmon and jasmine rice for dinner!

Green Bean & Hazelnut Salad

Adapted from the Natural Gourmet Institute

Yields about 4 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts
  • 4 cups green beans, ends removed and sliced in thirds diagonally
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • pinch sea salt
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 325*F. Toast the hazelnuts for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Roll the nuts in a towel to remove the skins, then roughly chop and set them aside.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; meanwhile, prep the green beans. Blanch them for about 4 minutes, or until tender but still slightly crunchy. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and sea salt until everything is well incorporated.
  4. Toss together the beans, nuts and dressing until everything is well coated.

This salad brings me back to the days when my mom made homemade dijon vinaigrette. She hasn’t in years, but it’s still my favorite salad dressing. I love the slight sweetness the hazelnuts give, too- it would be great served with some salmon and jasmine rice for dinner!

PS- I have to say that healthy posts aren’t nearly as fun to write as the decadent ones…